Apparently, we have reached the stage where “Good morning, Tony” can become a workplace controversy.
A young graduate trainee recently addressed UBA Chairman Tony Elumelu by his first name during an interaction, and he immediately corrected her. His preferred options? Mr Elumelu or TOE. He also made it clear that he wasn’t interested in the whole first-name, “Oyinbo” style of addressing people.
And Nigerians, being Nigerians, have entered the courtroom.
One side is saying, “What’s the big deal? It’s a corporate environment. First names are normal.”
The other side is saying, “Corporate environment ke? Have you people forgotten where you are?”
Honestly?
Both sides have a point.
But I am leaning towards one very Nigerian principle:
READ THE ROOM!!!
Because yes, the modern workplace is changing.
Yes, many companies are adopting flatter structures where the CEO can walk into the office, shake your hand and say, “Call me David.”
Yes, first-name culture exists in many Western workplaces and even in some Nigerian companies.
And yes, calling your boss “Mr So-and-so” doesn’t automatically make you more professional.
But there is a difference between knowing workplace culture and blindly importing workplace culture without understanding the environment you’re operating in.
Because, my God.
This is Nigeria.
Not Every First Name Is Your Calling
Let’s be honest.
Some of us have gathered courage from LinkedIn and American workplace TikToks and now think every CEO is waiting for us to say:
“Hey, Tony! How was your weekend?”
Brother, sister…
PLEASE.
Before you call somebody by their first name, find out what the culture is.
Does the organization encourage it?
Has the person introduced themselves that way?
Are other employees doing it?
Are you in a casual team meeting or standing in front of the chairman at a formal event?
These things matter.
Because workplace etiquette isn’t just about memorising rules.
It’s about context.
And context is where common sense comes in.
But Wait, Didn’t the West Start This?
Yes.
And that’s precisely why we need to understand that culture isn’t a package you copy halfway.
You can’t import “Call me John” and leave the rest of the workplace culture at the airport.
In many Western corporate environments, first-name interactions exist alongside clear professional boundaries, workplace policies and expectations about conduct.
And interestingly, even where first-name culture is normal, people can still use respectful forms of address depending on the situation.
So the lesson shouldn’t be:
“Never call your boss by their first name.”
Neither should it be:
“If you work in a modern company, everybody is your mate.”
The lesson should be:
Know the culture. Know the person. Know the room.
And Please, Look at the Age Difference
This is the part that made many Nigerians raise their eyebrows.
This wasn’t your colleague named Tony sitting beside you in the office.
This is a man old enough to be her father, the chairman of the organization, and someone she was interacting with in a formal setting.
Does that automatically mean calling him “Tony” is disrespectful?
Not necessarily.
But does it make sense to pause and consider whether “Good morning, sir” might be the safer greeting?
Abeg.
What exactly are we losing?
You haven’t even started your career and you’re already testing the boundaries with the chairman.
Sometimes, respect costs absolutely nothing.
However, Seniority Shouldn’t Become Intimidation
This is also where I think we need to be careful.
Respect doesn’t mean young employees should be terrified of senior executives.
A healthy workplace should still allow young people to ask questions, contribute ideas and speak confidently without feeling like they are committing a federal offence every time they address someone senior.
And this is important because the whole point of a modern workplace should be to create an environment where people can communicate.
So yes, respect your seniors.
But seniority shouldn’t mean young employees must shrink themselves.
There has to be a balance.
Corporate Nigeria Needs Its Own Balance
Maybe that’s what we’re actually struggling with.
We’re caught between two worlds.
We want the relaxed corporate culture we see abroad, but we’re still operating within a society where age, position and traditional respect carry significant weight.
And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with creating a workplace that combines both.
You can have a young CEO who tells everyone to call him by his first name.
You can have a senior executive who prefers “Mr.”
You can have a workplace where everyone is on a first-name basis.
Just know which one you’re in.
Because there’s nothing impressive about being culturally unaware just because you want to prove you’re modern.
Sometimes, wisdom is knowing when to adapt.
And sometimes, adaptation is simply looking at a 63-year-old chairman in a formal setting and thinking:
“Good morning, sir” will not kill me.
The real corporate skill isn’t knowing whether to say Tony or Mr Elumelu.
It’s knowing which one the room requires.
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