“Tony” tones it down with girl who went by his first name at UBA function

By Felicia Odom 22.8.2026
United Bank for Africa billionaire chairman, Tony Elumelu, has tampered down the tension raised when a young lady addressed him by first name during the bank’s Graduate Management Programme recently.
Viral video of the exchange attracted social media scrutiny to the young lady and she was embarrassed by the situation.
However, it was reported that Mr. Elumelu met with the lady to encourage her and not let her confidence be shaken. This gesture was seen as being magnanimous, demonstrating maturity and a willingness to move beyond the controversy. He urged the bank not to sanction or discriminate against her because of the incident.
He reportedly also asked the bank to reconsider its first-name culture when dealing with elders, stressing that while colleagues and younger staff may address one another by first names, senior citizens and elders should be treated with respect.