Tony, Husband is Useless and the Woke Generation

Nigeria is replete with news, both positive and negative. With a population of over 5.7 billion, a significant portion being active on social media, sensational stories and controversies spread rapidly. The #EndSARS movement gained worldwide recognition six years ago, but now it seems that the issues of national importance are overshadowed by the popularity of random influencers and social media sensations.

Recently, a wannabe influencer accused former UBA Chairman Tony Elumelu's children of having HIV/AIDS and alleged that he had separated from his wife due to infidelity. Despite the absurdity of these claims, the influencer was arrested and a human rights activist called for his release. Tony Elumelu himself admitted to being a content creator, adding to the absurdity of the situation.

Another controversy arose when a debut author, Chinkemkasimma C. Chukwuma, posted on social media that her upcoming book, "Husband is Useless," had been released. The title gained widespread attention and produced a plethora of responses, with many young men taking it to be an attack on masculinity and marriage. The majority of the harsh comments were made by people who had not even read the book, but simply judged it based on its title.

The controversy surrounding the book title was short-lived when a video emerged of a young lady calling Tony Elumelu by his first name. Tony Elumelu, who does not like being called "Tony," corrected her and insisted that he should be referred to as "Mr. Elumelu" or "TOE." The situation escalated quickly, overshadowing the trending book title.

Opinions were divided on whether it was appropriate for the young lady to call TOE by his first name and whether TOE was right to correct her. This incident occurred during UBA's Graduate Management Accelerated Programme graduation ceremony, celebrating 374 young professionals who had successfully completed the bank's program.