(Seyi Tinubu. Photo. Credit: Vanguard News)
Patron of the City Boy Movement, Seyi Tinubu, has said the organisation has grown beyond its original role as a campaign platform into a nationwide movement dedicated to national development and citizen engagement.
This came as speakers at the group’s National Retreat in Abuja called for stronger grassroots engagement, greater youth participation, and sustained public support for ongoing national reforms, urging members to become active ambassadors of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the opening dinner of the retreat held at the State House, Seyi Tinubu said the movement had evolved into something far bigger than its campaign origins.
In a statement issued Monday night by Otega Ogra, Deputy Director-General, Media, Communications and Public Affairs, he was quoted as describing the event as more than the opening of a retreat, but the beginning of a movement bringing together people who had chosen to dedicate their time, energy and talents to Nigeria’s service and the advancement of the Renewed Hope vision.
He commended members who travelled from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, describing their commitment as a demonstration of selfless leadership, noting that they had come not because they were compelled to, but because they believed in a cause greater than themselves, which he said was the true mark of leadership.
He described the City Boy Movement as having become a strong family foundation, a national network of committed patriots, and a symbol of resilience, loyalty and purposeful engagement, noting that members had continued to mobilise volunteers, encourage youth participation in governance and promote democratic values.
He, however, warned against complacency, saying the movement had only scratched the surface of what it set out to achieve and that its greatest victory still lay ahead, describing the retreat not as a celebration of the past but as preparation for the future.
On the Tinubu administration’s reforms, he said President Bola Tinubu had inherited serious economic and security challenges but had introduced bold policies to stabilise the economy, improve public finances, expand infrastructure, attract investment, support agriculture, strengthen security and improve education.
While acknowledging that many Nigerians were still feeling the impact of these reforms, he urged members to communicate government policies with empathy and factual accuracy, noting that although many of the reforms had required difficult decisions with lingering effects on citizens, progress was beginning to show, and engagement needed to be responsible, factual and compassionate.
He challenged members to deepen grassroots engagement across wards, local governments, markets, campuses and communities, stressing that the movement should not simply be about defending government but about reconnecting Nigerians with government.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Francis Shoga, said the organisation was targeting 10 million youth votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next general election through sustained grassroots mobilisation, stressing that such numbers would not come from slogans or social media but from real people, real members, real engagement and hard work at the grassroots.
He urged members to build a disciplined, results-driven organisation capable of educating Nigerians on government policies and mobilising community-level support.
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Mariya Mahmoud, described nation-building as a shared responsibility and commended the City Boy Movement for promoting patriotism, unity and responsible citizenship.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, under Minister Nyesom Wike, to delivering improved infrastructure, enhanced security, better public services and environmental renewal in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the time had come for the voices of young Nigerians to be heard in shaping the country’s future, urging young people to move beyond being observers to becoming active participants in governance, leadership and national development.
He stressed that the nation’s future depended on harnessing the energy, creativity and innovation of its youthful population.
The retreat brought together City Boy Movement leaders, state coordinators and members from across the federation to review the organisation’s activities and strengthen strategies for grassroots mobilisation and civic engagement.
In his vote of thanks, the Co-Patron of the City Boy Movement, Kashim Shettima Jnr, son of Vice President Kashim Shettima, expressed appreciation to members, guests and stakeholders who attended the retreat dinner.
He commended their commitment to the ideals of the movement, describing the City Boy Movement as the biggest youth political movement in Africa, and urged members to remain united, committed and focused on expanding the movement’s grassroots reach in support of national development and the Renewed Hope Agenda.