After Elumelu’s rebuke, Delta gov aide offers UBA staff N500,000, ambassadorial deal

A senior aide to the Delta State Governor in Nigeria has offered a substantial package, including N500,000 cash and an ambassadorship, to a young UBA employee who recently went viral for addressing the bank's chairman, Tony Elumelu, by his first name. Ossai Success, the aide, made the offer on Facebook, also promising the woman a VIP trip to Asaba for the Delta Social Media Summit, including accommodation and a guided tour of state projects.

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I know the internet can be harsh. Depression is real, and words cut deep. She made a mistake, but we don’t need to t*rment her daily; she needs our support.

Ossai explained his decision by stating that the backlash against the woman had become excessive, emphasizing that "depression is real, and words cut deep." He believes that while she made a mistake, she needs support rather than daily torment. He also thanked Elumelu for highlighting the need for respect in society, suggesting the incident served as a correction.

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Thank you Mr Tony Elumelu for pointing out the needed correction that will further strengthen respect in our society.

The young woman gained widespread attention after a video showed her calling Elumelu "Tony" during a graduation ceremony. Elumelu responded by stating he preferred to be addressed as "Mr Elumelu" or "TOE," not "Tony" or "Chairman," expressing a dislike for what he termed "Oyinbo life" (Westernized life).

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Okay. No, you won’t call me Tony. You’ll call me Mr Elumelu or TOE. You won’t call me Tony, or Chairman. I don’t subscribe to that kind of… Oyinbo life, okay?

The incident sparked mixed reactions online, with some supporting Elumelu's stance on respect and others arguing that the woman could have been treated more gently. Ossai's intervention aims to offer the woman a platform to share her story and turn her negative experience into a positive outcome, assuring her that she "won’t be disappointed."

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If you’re reading this or anyone knows her, please ask her to DM me. I will give her a good time and a platform to tell her story. Let’s turn this pain into purpose. She won’t be disappointed.