An encounter between a Nigerian billionaire and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Chairman, Tony Elumelu, and a young new female employee has sparked widespread discussion across social media platforms.
During an induction session captured on video, the female employee, while asking a question from the billionaire businessman, casually addressed him by his first name, calling him: “Tony.”
Instead of overlooking the informal address, Elumelu, 63, politely but firmly corrected her, prompting her to use a more appropriate, respectful title given the professional and cultural context.
“No, you won’t call me Tony… You call me Mr. Elumelu, or TOE or Chairman,” Elumelu responded.
He added that he does not subscribe to casual, foreign-style familiarity in professional settings, stating: “I don’t subscribe to that kind of Oyinbo life.
“Okay?”
The viral clip immediately divided opinions online, triggering a conversation on corporate etiquette, cultural respect, and social boundaries.
In support of Elumelu, many netizens argued that in African—and specifically Nigerian—cultural and corporate settings, addressing an elder or a high-profile business mogul by their bare first name is considered disrespectful.Nigerian market analysis
They felt his correction was a necessary lesson in boundary-setting and proper etiquette.
On the other hand, some social media users argued that since Elumelu heavily markets himself online with his initials “TOE” and adopts a very accessible, youthful, and modern persona on social media, the lady might have simply mistaken that digital familiarity for real-life casualness.
The reactions have sparked arguments on the contrast between an influencer-style “accessible” online brand and the deeply rooted expectations of real-world corporate and cultural respect.
