Busuyi Ojo-Jobus
I didn't want to talk about it before, but let me say something briefly.
First of all, let me say, we are so confused in this part of the world where we do not understand the thin line and boundaries.
Most of us as Nigerians want to eat our cake and still have it.
We have culture just like the Chinese do. The Chinese have kept theirs till today, but Nigerians are inconsistent.
Prioritizing another man's language and culture is one of the major problems of Nigeria. I mean, we speak English better than Englishmen.
English or foreign languages should never be what we speak fluently. They should be for communication and understanding. If a white man attacks me for not being able to speak his language very well, I will accept correction if only he can speak my language fluently the way he expects me to speak his own. Many Nigerians attack Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo for not being able to speak English fluently, many hate him for that but why do they still hate the president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu? The man who speaks very good English. We Nigerians need to be sure of what we want and prioritize it, good English speaking man or good governance?
In the banking sector, there is a first-name policy. If a father and his child are working together, the child calls his father by his first name. I have known this for over a decade, and the same thing should apply between Tony and this girl in the picture under discussion.
I would like to tell some people about two terms: 'Tone and Discretion.'
Go and study what tone and discretion are. You will know that tone determines your aims, purpose, and the content of your mind. Then in this situation, discretion comes in. It will save you from falling into a conflict like this.
There is no doubt that Mr. Tony Elumelu is a professional banker who knows the rule of the first-name policy in banking. But why did he correct this young girl? The answer is the tone. The lady in question showed us her intent. She called Tony not because of the first-name policy, but with the mindset of, "I have the opportunity to call this man by his name to his face and I will do it, and nothing will happen." And Tony spotted that.
He corrected her, not to put fear in her mind, but to plant discretion in her. You can call anyone by their name, but add respect to your tone and carriage towards any adult.
My alias is Jobus. Some will say, "Mr. Jobus." I correct them because I do not like "Mr." to be added to my alias? It doesn't even make sense. But it is your discretion to add "Mr." to Busuyi or Ojo if you are calling me by my official name.
Therefore, I sensed rudeness one day when a 100-level student walked to me and said, "Jobus, how are you? Have you eaten?"
Then I called her for correction: "Don't be rude to me by asking all these at a time when you are calling me by my direct name and thinking we are mates." It is a correction, not a fight. And that's what Mr. Tony felt, and he had to correct her.
Finally, whenever we have a privilege, don't ever misuse it. Your tone, discretion, manner, and common sense matter a lot.