A young employee of United Bank for Africa (UBA) has received an offer of ₦500,000 in financial support and an ambassadorial opportunity following the widespread attention generated by a recent interaction involving UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu.
The staff member became the subject of intense public discussion after a video surfaced showing her addressing Elumelu as “Tony” during an interaction. Elumelu subsequently corrected her, stressing the importance of showing respect when addressing senior figures. The incident later triggered significant reactions on social media.
Amid the backlash, Ossai Success, Senior Special Assistant on Media to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, stepped forward to offer support to the young woman.
In a social media post on Saturday, Ossai announced that she would receive ₦500,000 cash support as part of the package. He also offered to sponsor her trip to Asaba for the fourth edition of the Delta Social Media Summit, scheduled for August 27, 2026.
The proposed trip includes flight tickets, five-star hotel accommodation and VIP access to the summit. Ossai further offered her an opportunity to tour selected developmental projects in Delta State.
Beyond the financial assistance and summit invitation, the governor’s aide offered the UBA employee an ambassadorial position for the Delta Social Media Summit, an annual platform focused on social media engagement and related activities.
Ossai explained that his intervention was motivated by concern over the extent of the online criticism directed at the woman following the incident.
According to him, while the employee may have made an error in how she addressed Elumelu, the scale of the subsequent backlash was unnecessary.
He appealed to members of the public to show compassion rather than continue attacking the young woman, noting that prolonged online criticism could have serious emotional consequences.
Ossai also acknowledged Elumelu for drawing attention to the issue of respect and proper conduct, saying the incident could serve as a lesson on appropriate ways of addressing people in positions of authority.
The controversy has continued to generate reactions, with human rights activist and AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore also criticising the backlash against the UBA employee. Sowore called on UBA to provide her with appropriate psychosocial support following the intense public scrutiny she has faced.
The development has since shifted attention from the original exchange to broader conversations about workplace hierarchy, social-media criticism, respect and how public figures and institutions respond when private interactions become viral.
