'I Don't Subscribe to That Kind of Oyinbo Life': Tony Elumelu Corrects Graduate Trainee for Using His First Name
A trainee at UBA's Graduate Management Accelerated Programme graduation ceremony found herself on the receiving end of an unexpected correction after casually addressing UBA Group Chairman Tony Elumelu by his first name. In a video from the event now circulating widely online, the trainee stood up to ask Elumelu a question following his presentation, opening with, "Good morning, Tony."
Elumelu, appearing visibly taken aback, initially seemed to pretend he hadn't heard her clearly, responding with "Toyin? Toyin?" as if misunderstanding what she'd said. When she repeated herself, this time placing clear emphasis on his first name, "I said good morning Tony," while smiling, he immediately interrupted and corrected her directly.
His Exact Response"Okay, no, you won't call me Tony. I'm not... I am not that kind of... You will call me Mr. Elumelu or T.O.E. You won't call me Tony, or call me chairman. I don't subscribe to that kind of... Oyinbo life, okay?" he said, using a Nigerian Pidgin term, "Oyinbo," commonly used to refer to Western or foreign customs, in this case to describe the casual, first-name informality he associated with Western corporate culture rather than Nigerian professional norms.
The trainee immediately corrected herself, replying "Good morning, Mr. Elumelu," before continuing on with her original question.
A Divided Online ReactionThe clip has sparked a broader conversation among Nigerians online about respect for elders, workplace etiquette, and how much Western-style informality belongs in African corporate settings. One camp has sided firmly with Elumelu, arguing that in Nigerian and broader African cultural and corporate contexts, addressing an elder or a high-profile business figure by their bare first name, without an honorific, is seen as disrespectful, and that his correction served as a useful lesson in professional boundary-setting.
Others have pushed back, framing the moment differently, some questioning whether the correction was necessary at all, given that first-name interactions are increasingly normalized in professional and international business environments, particularly among younger employees who may have been trained or influenced by more globally standard workplace cultures. A few commentators also noted a layer of irony, pointing out that Elumelu has built much of his public persona and philanthropic branding around modernizing Africa's business and entrepreneurial culture, which some argue sits somewhat at odds with insisting on more traditional, hierarchical forms of address.
Who Is Tony ElumeluElumelu, 63, is one of Nigeria's most prominent business figures, serving as Chairman of both Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA), as well as Chairman of Transcorp and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on supporting entrepreneurship across Africa. The incident occurred at a graduation ceremony for UBA's Graduate Management Accelerated Programme, a scheme designed to train and place young professionals within the bank's structure.
The Bigger PictureBeyond the specific exchange, the episode has tapped into a wider, recurring debate in Nigerian professional culture around generational and cultural expectations of deference, particularly toward older, senior, or highly accomplished figures, versus the more casual communication norms younger professionals may have absorbed from international business environments or global corporate culture more broadly. For now, the clip continues to circulate, with the debate over which approach is "correct" showing little sign of settling one way or the other.
Sources
- Tribune Online — (VIDEO) 'Good morning Tony': Elumelu corrects trainee for addressing him by first name
- Leadership — Tony Elumelu Rebukes Lady For Calling Him By First Name
- The Eagle Online — Elumelu corrects lady who casually called him Tony + Video