Tony Elumelu Rebukes Lady for Calling Him By First Name

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, has openly rebuked a  lady who addressed him by his first name, “Tony,” during a public gathering.

The incident, captured in a video that went viral on social media on Thursday, has sparked discussions among Nigerians about respect for elders, cultural values and changing social norms.

In the undated video, the occasion of which was not immediately identified, the unnamed woman stood up to ask Elumelu a question following what appeared to be a presentation by the businessman.

She began by saying, “Good morning Tony…”

Elumelu, who appeared visibly taken aback, smiled and seemingly pretended not to have heard her clearly.

The woman then repeated, “I said good morning Tony…,” placing emphasis on his first name while smiling.

The businessman immediately interrupted her and corrected the manner in which she addressed him.

“Okay, no, you won’t call me Tony. 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.

The woman subsequently corrected herself, addressing the businessman properly before proceeding with her question.

Elumelu, 63, is the chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA), as well as chairman of Transcorp and founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation.

The brief but awkward exchange has since attracted significant attention online, with many social media users describing the woman’s initial address as disrespectful, particularly in the context of African traditions that place emphasis on showing deference to older people and individuals in positions of authority.

Others, however, viewed the incident as a reflection of changing social conventions, particularly in professional and international settings where first-name interactions are increasingly common.