"Call me chairman": Tony Elumelu corrects Gen Z after she calls him by name
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- A Gen Z graduate trainee addressed billionaire banker Tony Elumelu by his first name during a UBA banking school event
- Elumelu immediately stopped the young woman and corrected her on stage in front of other trainees
- The UBA chairman made clear he does not embrace the informal Western culture of addressing elders by first name
A Gen Z graduate trainee at the United Bank for Africa banking school found herself on the receiving end of a firm public correction after she addressed UBA chairman Tony Elumelu by his first name during what appeared to be an interactive session with the billionaire banker.
In a video shared by Gossip Mill Nigeria on X on Thursday, August 20, 2026, the young woman stood up and called the influential financier "Tony" as she posed her address or question to him, a moment that visibly did not sit well with Elumelu.
The UBA chairman responded on the spot, telling the trainee in plain terms that she would not address him that way.
He directed her to refer to him as "Chairman" or "Mr Elumelu," and accompanied the correction with a pointed cultural statement.
Tony Elumelu reprimands lady in public
"You will not call me that," Elumelu said. "Address me as 'Chairman' or 'Mr Elumelu.' I don't subscribe to that kind of Oyinbo life."
The remark, a direct pushback against the Western corporate practice of calling superiors by their first names, drew significant attention online.
Elumelu's response was swift and unapologetic, making clear that cultural deference and respect for seniority are non-negotiable in his professional space, regardless of generational trends.
Tony Elumelu's reaction to lady calling him by name sparks reactions
The moment has reignited a familiar debate in Nigerian professional circles about the tension between Gen Z workplace norms and traditional expectations around hierarchy and respect.
Many younger Nigerians, shaped by global corporate culture consumed through social media and international companies, have grown accustomed to flat organisational structures where addressing a boss by first name is routine and even encouraged.
Elumelu, one of Africa's most recognisable business figures and the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, has long championed African entrepreneurship and identity.
UBA's graduate trainee's informal approach to chairman
His rebuke of the "Oyinbo life" framing suggested the correction was as much a cultural statement as it was a personal preference.
The graduate trainee, reportedly part of UBA's structured banking school programme, had apparently not anticipated that the informal approach would land so poorly in front of the chairman himself.
The clip circulated widely, with many viewers split between sympathy for the young woman, who likely meant no disrespect, and agreement with Elumelu's insistence on maintaining professional and cultural protocol in formal settings.
Lady shares what she noticed about Tony Elumelu
In another story, TUKO.co.ke shared details about a Nigerian lady's charming encounter with billionaire entrepreneur Tony during a casual meeting in Abuja.
Her heartwarming revelation of Elumelu's humility and his inquisitive nature regarding UBA accounts sparked significant interest and admiration across social media.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.