Tony Elumelu corrects UBA graduate trainee for using his first name in viral video

A routine corporate celebration became a flashpoint after a young professional addressed United Bank for Africa Group Chairman Tony Elumelu by his first name during a public graduation event, according to Withinnigeria.

The gathering marked the completion of Cohort 21 of the Graduate Management Accelerator Programme. Held at Landmark Events Centre in Lagos on Thursday, August 20, 2025, the ceremony celebrated professionals drawn from operations across multiple African countries, as reported by Blueprint. Proceedings took a sudden turn during an interactive audience session when a female trainee stood to speak and greeted the billionaire chairman directly, according to Withinnigeria.

Good morning, Tony, the graduate said, via Withinnigeria.

According to Withinnigeria, Elumelu initially misheard the greeting as another name before the participant clarified. The bank chairman then interrupted to establish his personal preference for professional boundaries.

"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?"

Tony Elumelu, Group Chairman, via Withinnigeria

The trainee immediately adjusted her address to Good morning, Mr Elumelu, before proceeding with her intended question, according to Withinnigeria. While the exchange concluded swiftly at the venue, the recorded clip subsequently generated intense public debate across social platforms, as reported by Withinnigeria.

Before the interruption, the event focused heavily on talent development within the banking sector. UBA Group Managing Director and CEO Oliver Alawuba congratulated the new intakes—comprising women and men drawn from domestic operations and foreign subsidiaries—urging them to treat their postings as platforms for excellence, according to Blueprint.

Alawuba stated, according to Blueprint:

"You came from different countries, with different experiences and disciplines, but today you have graduated as one UBA family, united by one ambition, to build Africa’s future. Your first posting may not be your preferred destination, but make it your platform and give it your best. No assignment is too small to reveal a great attitude, and no role is too modest for excellence."

Oliver Alawuba, Group Managing Director/CEO, via Blueprint

Public Reactions and Cultural Divide

The viral video triggered a wide array of commentary from public figures and social media personalities, exposing conflicting viewpoints regarding generational behavior, corporate culture, and traditional Nigerian social etiquette, according to Withinnigeria.

• Peller: The TikTok creator argued that public criticism of the incident depended heavily on the offender's educational background and social class, via Withinnigeria.
• Israel DMW: The music executive's aide blamed online culture, beauty standards, and a perceived lack of home training, according to Withinnigeria.
• Daddy Freeze: The media personality expressed embarrassment on behalf of the trainee's parents, emphasizing Elumelu's age and high position, via Withinnigeria.
• Fr Kelvin Ugwu: The Catholic priest questioned the wrongdoing, noting that first-name communication is standard practice in Western professional environments, according to Withinnigeria.
• Omoyele Sowore: The activist took a confrontational approach, challenging the power dynamics behind the corporate expectation of deference, via Withinnigeria.
• Morayo Brown: The media personality highlighted the collision point between modern multinational management practices and traditional Nigerian social hierarchy, according to Withinnigeria.

Further complicating the online discourse, older footage resurfaced showing Elumelu participating in a session at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where a student interviewer addressed him by his first name without triggering any visible objection, as reported by Withinnigeria. Commentators drew comparisons between the academic environment abroad and the corporate setting in Lagos, according to Withinnigeria.

Meanwhile, online speculation emerged after UBA published a highlight reel of the graduation ceremony, according to Withinnigeria. Social media users searched the footage for the female trainee, leading to unverified claims and theories regarding her visibility in the edited video, via Withinnigeria. Available reporting contains no confirmed evidence that the participant was deliberately excluded as a punitive measure, according to Withinnigeria.