‘I don’t subscribe to Oyinbo life’ — Elumelu reacts to first-name address

UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, has corrected a young graduate who addressed him by his first name during an interactive session at the bank’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme, GMAP, graduation ceremony.

A video of the exchange, which has gone viral on social media, captured the moment the young woman greeted the businessman, saying, “Good morning, Tony.”

Elumelu initially appeared to misunderstand her, responding, “Toyin? Toyin?” After she clarified that she had said “Tony,” he told her that he preferred to be addressed as “Mr Elumelu” or “TOE.”

“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?” he said.

The graduate subsequently corrected herself and addressed him as “Mr Elumelu” before proceeding with her question.

The exchange has generated mixed reactions online, with some Nigerians praising Elumelu for correcting her, while others argued that she may have been influenced by modern corporate culture, where employees are often encouraged to address senior executives by their first names.

One X user, @ibnjaafar1205, said the issue was about social awareness rather than Elumelu’s wealth.

“This isn’t about Tony Elumelu being a billionaire. It’s about basic social intelligence. If you are on a formal stage addressing someone in his official capacity, there is a difference between knowing him and addressing him appropriately,” the user wrote.

Another user, @Ms_ronkeh, argued that first-name familiarity should not automatically be assumed, even in Western workplaces.

“Even in the so-called ‘Western world’, your formality should still be by title ‘Mr, Mrs/Miss’. Tony? Na you born am?” the user wrote.

However, other users defended the young woman, noting that first-name communication is common in some corporate organisations, including workplaces where senior executives encourage employees to avoid formal titles.

One user, @WildCoderr, wrote that “most corporate culture mandates staff to communicate on a first-name basis,” adding that Elumelu corrected her respectfully.

Another user, @iamkadirii, said the graduate should not be judged harshly because workplace culture varies, noting that some senior executives prefer employees to address them by their names rather than titles.

The exchange occurred as UBA Group celebrated 374 young professionals who completed its Graduate Management Accelerated Programme.

The bank described the graduates as part of the next generation of leaders across its African markets.

Elumelu has previously said the programme has trained more than 5,000 young professionals.

UBA congratulated the latest graduates, urging them to “go forward with purpose, lead with courage, and continue to shape the future.”