Tony Elumelu schools graduate trainee who called him by his first name

A brief exchange between United Bank for Africa (UBA) Chairman Tony Elumelu and a newly recruited graduate trainee has sparked a conversation online about workplace etiquette, respect and Nigeria’s evolving corporate culture.

The incident occurred during an induction programme for about 5,000 newly recruited UBA employees, when one of the trainees took the microphone and addressed the billionaire businessman simply as “Tony.”

Elumelu appeared taken aback and asked her to address him differently.

But when she was given another opportunity, the trainee again referred to him as “Tony”, prompting another correction from the UBA chairman.

She eventually added “Mr.” before his name.

The exchange, captured on video and subsequently circulated widely on social media, has since drawn reactions from Nigerians debating whether first-name familiarity should be encouraged in modern workplaces or whether senior executives should continue to be addressed with formal titles.

‘I don't subscribe to Oyinbo culture’

In the video, Elumelu explained that he preferred a more respectful form of address and pushed back against what he described as the Western or “Oyinbo” approach to workplace relationships.

His response has particularly resonated with Nigerians familiar with the country's traditional emphasis on age, status and hierarchy.

The incident also highlights a generational divide that is increasingly visible in corporate environments, where younger employees may regard first-name interactions as a sign of openness and equality, while older professionals can interpret the same approach as overly familiar or disrespectful.

For some viewers, the exchange was less about Elumelu personally and more about learning how to navigate professional environments.

In many Nigerian workplaces, the appropriate way to address a senior executive can depend on the organisation's culture, the person's age and position, and the level of familiarity between both parties.

The trainee's repeated use of Elumelu's first name—and his decision to correct her publicly—has therefore turned what might ordinarily have been a brief induction-room moment into a wider social-media debate.

Some users have defended the trainee, arguing that modern corporate culture increasingly favours less rigid hierarchies. Others have backed Elumelu, saying that professionalism and respect do not necessarily disappear simply because a workplace adopts a more informal atmosphere.

For the thousands of graduates entering UBA, however, the viral exchange may have delivered an unexpectedly memorable lesson on one thing that rarely appears in an employment handbook: knowing how to address the boss.