UBA Group Chairman Tony Elumelu has corrected a young graduate trainee who addressed him as “Tony” during an interactive session at a UBA graduation ceremony in Lagos on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

The exchange, captured on video, has generated mixed reactions online over workplace etiquette, respect and changing professional culture in Nigeria.

Elumelu Corrects Trainee

The incident occurred during the graduation ceremony of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Graduate Management Accelerated Programme, also referred to as UBA Banking School.

A young woman stood to speak and greeted the businessman with, “Good morning, Tony.”

Elumelu initially appeared to mishear her, asking, “Toyin? Toyin?” When she clarified that she had said “Good morning, Tony,” he corrected her.

“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 trainee then changed her greeting to “Good morning, Mr Elumelu” before continuing with her question.

Mixed Reactions Online

The video has since circulated across social media, including posts by Vanguard Newspapers, with Nigerians divided over the interaction.

Some praised Elumelu for insisting on a level of respect they consider appropriate when addressing an older senior executive, particularly in a formal corporate setting.

Others argued that the trainee may have been influenced by modern workplace practices that encourage employees to address senior colleagues by their first names to create a more informal and open environment.

The exchange has consequently become part of a wider conversation about the difference between traditional Nigerian workplace etiquette and contemporary corporate culture.

Respect and Workplace Culture

Elumelu is a prominent Nigerian banker, investor and philanthropist who chairs UBA Group and has been involved in several business and entrepreneurship initiatives.

While first-name communication is increasingly common in multinational and modern workplaces, expectations around titles and hierarchy remain strong in many Nigerian institutions.

The viral exchange has brought that generational and cultural difference into sharp focus, with social media users continuing to debate whether professional familiarity should extend to senior executives.