“Don’t Call Me Hun or Dear” — Toke Makinwa Sets Boundaries Over How She Wants to Be Addressed

Media personality Toke Makinwa has set out her preferred boundaries for how people should address her, particularly those who are significantly younger than her and with whom she has no personal relationship.

Her comments come amid a viral conversation sparked by a video of a woman addressing billionaire businessman Tony Elumelu by his first name.

Taking to social media, Makinwa thanked a user identified as Tony before using the moment to explain the forms of address she finds inappropriate.

“While we are at it, if I am significantly older than you and we are not familiar in any way, resist the urge to use terms of endearment such as ‘dear, love or hun’ while addressing me,” she wrote.

Makinwa said she would prefer a simple greeting or for people to address her by her name.

“A polite hello. You can even call me by name cos everyone knows I’m not hung up on Aunty or Sis,” she added.

The media personality, however, admitted that she particularly dislikes being called “Sis”, explaining that she associates the term with relationships that can quickly turn sour.

“Sis irritates me cos first they call you sis, next they are the opp,” she said.

She concluded her message by firmly reiterating her preference.

“Keep that shit and don’t call me hun or dear. Thank you.”

Her remarks have since joined the wider online conversation about respect, age, familiarity and appropriate forms of address in Nigerian social interactions.