A viral moment at a UBA event has sparked sharp reactions from Nollywood actress Lizzy Jay and media personality Daddy Freeze after a young graduate trainee addressed billionaire Tony Elumelu by his first name.
The incident occurred during the graduation ceremony of UBA’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) in Lagos. The female trainee stood up, took the microphone and greeted the 63-year-old outgoing Group Chairman with “Good morning, Tony.” Elumelu immediately corrected her, insisting she address him as “Mr Elumelu,” “TOE” or “Chairman.” He added that he does not subscribe to that kind of “Oyinbo life.”
Lizzy Jay took to Instagram to express her strong disapproval, pointing to fellow actress Toyin Abraham as the ultimate example of cultural respect.
“That is what Toyin Abraham has been teaching us all this while. Toyin would have used kneeling down to wound Daddy Tony Elumelu. She could’ve done a headstand because she wanted to ask a question. This is what she has been telling all of you. Learn culture. Learn respect. I trust Toyin,” Lizzy Jay said.
She questioned where the trainee found the boldness to address such a senior figure so casually and stressed the need for proper upbringing and regard for elders and high-achieving individuals.
Daddy Freeze also weighed in with a blunt take that focused on age and parental responsibility.
“How do you look at 63-year-old Tony Elumelu and say, Tony? Gen-Zs aren’t really sensible. I’m not embarrassed for the girl. I’m embarrassed for her parents. Even me, at 50, I cannot call Tony Elumelu that is 63, Tony. Because he’s 13 years older than me. If he were five years older than me, I can call him Tony,” he stated.
The media personality argued that the casual first-name approach crosses traditional Nigerian lines of respect, especially when the person in question is both older and occupies a position of authority as the trainee’s boss.
The exchange has divided opinions online. Some have pointed out that UBA’s own workplace communication policies during general staff and GMAP training often encourage a first-name or flat-hierarchy approach to foster openness among colleagues, including senior executives. Former UBA staff who went through the same programme have noted that trainers explicitly teach participants to address even the Group Managing Director by first name because “everyone is a colleague.” Many online commentators are now calling out the apparent hypocrisy of training staff one way only for the chairman to reject it publicly.
Others have slammed the young woman outright, insisting she should have used better discretion. They argue that an African man of Elumelu’s age, status and cultural background clearly values his titles, and that home training plus situational awareness should have overridden any classroom instruction.
The debate continues to highlight the tension between evolving cultural norms and deeply rooted expectations of respect in Nigerian society.