A viral video capturing the moment Nigerian billionaire businessman and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Chairman Tony Elumelu corrected a young female graduate trainee for addressing him by his first name has sparked widespread debate online about workplace etiquette, cultural norms, and professional respect in Nigeria.
The incident occurred on Thursday during an interactive session at the graduation ceremony of the UBA Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) 2026. In the clip, the young lady stood up and greeted the 63-year-old banker with “Good morning, Tony.”
Elumelu initially appeared to mishear or take the remark lightly, responding “Toyin? Toyin?” When she clarified that she had said “Tony,” he firmly but politely intervened.
“Okay. No, you won’t call me Tony. You’ll call me Mr Elumelu or TOE. You won’t call me Tony, or Chairman. I don’t subscribe to that kind of… Oyinbo life, okay?” Elumelu said, according to reports of the exchange. Other accounts quote him as instructing her to use “Mr Elumelu,” “TOE,” or “Chairman,” while emphasising that he does not subscribe to that kind of “oyibo lifestyle.”
The trainee quickly adjusted, greeting him again as “Good morning, Mr Elumelu,” before proceeding with her question. Elumelu’s tone was described as gentle yet clear in setting the boundary.
The video, recorded at the event and widely shared on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others, quickly went viral. It has triggered mixed reactions among Nigerians.
Many users praised Elumelu for upholding traditional values of respect, especially toward elders and those in positions of authority. Commenters argued that in a formal setting, particularly when addressing a senior executive in his official capacity, first-name familiarity is inappropriate without prior invitation. Some noted that even in Western corporate environments, titles are often preferred until rapport is established.
Others defended the young woman, suggesting she may have been following modern corporate culture or specific training within the bank’s graduate programme, where first-name address is sometimes encouraged to foster openness. Critics of the backlash against her said she took the correction gracefully and should not be heavily criticised.
The exchange highlighted broader tensions between evolving workplace informality—often associated with Western or “oyinbo” practices—and Nigerian cultural expectations around hierarchy and respect.
The GMAP ceremony celebrated 374 young professionals who completed the competitive programme. UBA noted that the initiative has trained more than 5,000 young professionals since its launch. Elumelu, who has shared updates about the programme on his Instagram account (with over 2.3 million followers), described the graduates as part of the next generation of leaders across the bank’s African markets. The bank congratulated them and urged them to lead with purpose and courage.
The moment comes as Elumelu prepares to step down as UBA Group Chairman after 12 years in the role, with his tenure ending around August 21, 2026. Long-serving Non-Executive Director Emmanuel Nnorom is set to succeed him.
The viral clip continues to fuel discussions on professional boundaries, cultural identity in corporate spaces, and the balance between tradition and contemporary workplace practices in Nigeria.
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