Veteran screen icon Shaffy Bello has sparked fresh reactions online after a clip from a past interview resurfaced, showing the actress expressing her displeasure about being called by her first name by people younger than her.

The video surfaced amid the ongoing social media debate surrounding billionaire businessman Tony Elumelu, who recently corrected a graduate trainee for addressing him by his first name during a corporate event.

During the interview, Bello emphasized that children and younger individuals should maintain boundaries when addressing older adults.

"When a child calls me by my name, I pull them closer and tell them, ‘You haven’t earned the right to call me by name. I have a child as old as you are. Even if I don't have children, you haven't earned the right and you will never earn that right at your age to call me by name. Whatever happened to ma'am?’" Bello stated.

The acclaimed actress also voiced her frustration with casual greetings like "Hi," saying she prefers traditional and formal salutations.

"And there's something about this ‘Hi’. I can't stand it. Just say Good afternoon. Good morning. Good evening. Hello ma'am. I mean come on, we can be quite cordial and this is Africa after all.

"There's some rude children out there. I'll say children, but there are rude adults as well," she said.

Bello’s resurfaced comments come amid the online discussion ignited by Elumelu’s exchange, with commentators divided over traditional African values versus modern workplace trends.

While supporters agree with Bello and Elumelu that formal titles and structured greetings remain vital parts of African cultural respect, others argue that global corporate standards and Gen Z workplace habits lean toward flatter hierarchies and informal communication.

“When a child calls me by my name, I pull them closer and tell them, ‘You haven’t earned the right, and you never will.’ Also, there's something about this 'Hi'. I can't stand it. This is Africa after all” — Actress Shaffy Bello pic.twitter.com/IovZV3lxLv

— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) August 21, 2026