Mo Abudu Says Her Traditional Ondo Upbringing Won’t Allow Casual Familiarity

Media mogul and EbonyLife CEO Mo Abudu has spoken about her traditional upbringing and the importance of respecting elders, insisting that younger people should not casually address her by her first name.

Speaking with Toke Makinwa on *Toke Moments*, the 61-year-old movie executive described herself as “very traditional”, attributing her views on respect and age hierarchy to being raised by her grandmother in Ondo.

“I am very traditional. I was brought up in Ondo by my grandmother. You can’t be calling me by my first name anyhow. I won’t take it!” she said.

When asked whether she expects younger people to call her “Aunty”, Abudu maintained that she values traditional forms of respect and does not take casual familiarity lightly.

The media executive also addressed being described as a “shark” in business, arguing that the same qualities would likely be praised differently if she were a man.

“If I was a man, they wouldn’t say I was a shark. They’re going to say she’s an astute businesswoman,” she said.

Abudu further suggested that some people portray themselves as victims even when they are responsible for failing to meet expectations.

Speaking about relationships, the media executive said she is no longer concerned about heartbreak, declaring that “nobody can break my heart” at her age.

She also revealed that she would prefer a partner who is around her age or older, stressing that achievement is important to the level of respect she would have for a man.

“For me to respect you, you must have achieved something,” she added.