UBA Group Chairman Tony Elumelu has sparked a social media conversation. This happened after he corrected a young graduate trainee who addressed him simply as “Tony” during an interaction at the bank’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme graduation ceremony.
According to Africanfolder, which shared the viral video on Instagram, the exchange began when the trainee greeted the billionaire businessman with, “Good morning, Tony.” Elumelu initially appeared unsure of what she had said. She then repeated the greeting, prompting him to immediately clarify how he preferred to be addressed.
Tony Elumelu sets preferred form of address
“No, you won’t call me Tony,” Elumelu told the trainee, explaining that she could instead address him as “Mr Elumelu,” “TOE” or “Chairman.”
He added that he did not subscribe to what he described as the “Oyinbo life” of casually addressing senior figures by their first names.
The trainee accepted the correction and changed her greeting to “Good morning, Mr Elumelu” before proceeding with her question.
Although the exchange lasted only a few moments, the video quickly spread across social media. Thus, it opened a wider debate about professionalism, respect and workplace culture.
Nigerians react to viral exchange
Social media users were divided over whether the trainee had crossed a professional boundary. Others argued she was simply following the first-name culture common in some modern workplaces.
An X user, @ibnjaafar1205, argued that the issue had little to do with Elumelu’s status as a billionaire. Instead, it had to do with understanding how to address someone appropriately in a formal setting.
Another user, @Ms_ronkeh, backed Elumelu’s position. She argued that even Western workplaces still recognise formal titles where familiarity has not been established.
Others, however, believed the trainee’s greeting was understandable.
X user @WildCoderr noted that many corporate organisations encourage employees to communicate on a first-name basis. The user nevertheless said Elumelu corrected the trainee respectfully and suggested she should have read the situation better.
Another user, @iamkadirii, pointed out that workplace practices differ. Some senior executives specifically ask employees to drop formal titles and address them by their names.
The mixed reactions turned the brief encounter into a broader debate. People questioned whether traditional Nigerian expectations of respect should continue to shape communication in increasingly informal corporate environments.
Workplace culture takes centre stage
For those supporting Elumelu, addressing the chairman by his first name during a formal public interaction appeared overly familiar. This was particularly true when he had not invited the trainee to do so.
Those defending her argued that younger professionals increasingly work in environments where titles are deliberately discouraged. This is to reduce hierarchy and encourage easier communication between junior employees and executives.
Elumelu made his own preference clear during the exchange, while the trainee immediately adjusted her greeting without further disagreement.
GMAP develops young banking professionals
The encounter occurred during UBA’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme. This programme is designed to train young professionals and prepare them for careers within the banking industry.
Elumelu was interacting with graduates about career development, discipline and leadership when the now-viral moment occurred.
What began as a simple greeting has since become one of the talking points from the programme. Significantly, the debate has extended beyond Elumelu and the trainee to questions about generational differences, corporate etiquette and how young professionals should address senior figures in Nigerian workplaces.
