A former United Bank for Africa (UBA) staff member, II Moses, has reacted to the viral Tony Elumelu greeting drama. The controversy started after a UBA Banking School graduate greeted Elumelu with, “Good morning, Tony.” Elumelu then corrected her and asked her to call him “Mr. Elumelu.”
The moment quickly sparked debate online. Many Nigerians wondered if the graduate was wrong, especially after UBA reportedly promotes first-name culture.
Moses, however, believes the graduate was “not entirely wrong.” He said he went through the same UBA GMAP training. According to him, trainees were taught to call colleagues by their first names.
“They will even give you an example and say the GMD is your colleague,” he explained.
Still, Moses said workplace culture and African values can sometimes clash.
“But this is Africa,” he added.
According to the former UBA staffer, the graduate still made a major mistake. He said she should have understood the setting before greeting the bank’s chairman.
“She went and called her chairman by name: ‘Good morning, Tony.’ That’s too bad,”
Moses wrote. He also recalled his time as a UBA Cash Officer. Even older colleagues called him “Oga Innocent” instead of simply using his first name. For him, respect for seniority remains important in Nigeria.
Moses also suggested that the graduate may have wanted to stand out during the ceremony. He believed she could have hoped her boldness would influence her posting.
“Her biggest mistake was lack of exposure and the desire to appear different and audacious,” he stated.
He wondered why she did not follow the format used by other graduates. In his view, she should have “read the room.” Moses ended his reaction with humour, asking,
“But which kind ogogoro she drank… Kai…”
Before adding,
“Las las, we all go dey alright.”
In the end, the incident shows how workplace rules can sometimes clash with culture. While first-name greetings may be encouraged at UBA, Moses believes the setting demanded more caution. For many Nigerians, the lesson is simple: know the rule, but always read the room.
