United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, has reacted after a graduate trainee addressed him by his first name during the bank’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) graduation ceremony
The incident occurred during an interactive session when the trainee began her question by saying, “Good morning, Tony.”
Elumelu initially asked if she had said “Toyin.” After she clarified that she had addressed him as Tony, he responded: “You won’t call me Tony. You’ll call me Mr Elumelu or TOE. I don’t subscribe to that kind of Oyinbo life.”
The trainee immediately corrected herself, saying, “Good morning, Mr Elumelu,” before proceeding with her question
A video of the exchange has since gained attention on social media, sparking conversations around workplace etiquette, hierarchy and the use of first names in corporate environments
While some Nigerians criticised the trainee for addressing the UBA chairman by his first name in a formal setting, others argued that first-name communication is common in some modern workplaces, including corporate environments