Media personality Daddy Freeze has weighed in on the viral controversy involving a female graduate who addressed United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Chairman Tony Elumelu by his first name during an interactive session at the bank’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) graduation ceremony in Lagos.
Reacting to the incident, Daddy Freeze questioned how a 63-year-old business leader who is both older and senior to the graduate could be addressed simply as “Tony.”
“How do you look at 63 years old Tony Elumelu and say, Tony?” he asked, while criticising what he described as a growing lack of respect among some members of the younger generation.
According to him, even at 50, he would not address Elumelu, who is 13 years his senior, by his first name.
“Even me, at 50, I cannot call Tony Elumelu, who is 63, Tony because he’s 13 years older than me,” Daddy Freeze said.
He added that beyond their age difference, Elumelu was also the young woman’s employer and therefore deserved a higher level of respect.
“In this particular situation, Tony was not the girl’s junior. Tony is actually her boss. He’s also older than her,” he said.
Daddy Freeze further linked the incident to what he described as the influence of “wokism,” arguing that younger people should still recognise traditional boundaries of age, seniority and authority.
He also recalled an encounter in which a younger person addressed him simply as “Freeze,” saying the incident made him reflect on how financial status can affect the way people are treated.
“I like the way Mr Tony cleared her instantly,” Daddy Freeze added, expressing approval of Elumelu’s response to the graduate during the viral exchange.
The incident has continued to generate debate on social media, with Nigerians divided over whether addressing a senior professional by his first name is disrespectful or simply reflects a more informal communication style among younger people.
