- Daddy Freeze commented on the controversy involving a UBA graduate addressing Tony Elumelu by his first name.
- The incident occurred during a conference and sparked public reactions.
- Freeze expressed his concerns on Instagram about the appropriateness of calling the 63-year-old businessman “Tony.”
Media personality Daddy Freeze has weighed in on the controversy surrounding a UBA graduate who sparked reactions after addressing businessman and UBA Chairman Tony Elumelu by his first name during a conference.
The outspoken media personality took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the incident, questioning the decision to call the 63-year-old business mogul simply “Tony.”
According to Daddy Freeze, Elumelu’s age, status and position should have been considered before addressing him so casually. He expressed disappointment over the incident, saying the issue reflected a broader concern about respect for older people.
“How do you look at 63-year-old Tony Elumelu and say, Tony? Gen-Z una no really get too much sense like that oo. I’m not embarrassed for the girl. I’m embarrassed for her parents,” he said.
Daddy Freeze, who disclosed that he is 50 years old, explained that even he would not feel comfortable addressing Elumelu by his first name because of the 13-year age difference between them.
He noted that the situation would be different if the person were only a few years older than him. However, he argued that a significant age gap, combined with Elumelu’s position as her superior, made the circumstances different.
“Even me, at 50, I cannot call Tony Elumelu that is 63, Tony. Because he’s 13 years older than me. If you were five years older than me, I can call him Tony. But person wey you don meet for secondary school no be your mate,” he added.
The media personality also linked the incident to what he described as the growing influence of “wokism” among younger people, suggesting that traditional values surrounding respect for elders are gradually being eroded.
Daddy Freeze further shared a personal experience involving a younger individual who addressed him in a manner he considered disrespectful. He said being financially comfortable has given him the freedom to distance himself from situations and behaviours he finds unacceptable.
His comments have since sparked a fresh debate on social media. While some Nigerians supported his position that age and status should determine how older people are addressed, others argued that using a person’s first name does not automatically amount to disrespect, particularly in modern professional settings.
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