The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, on Friday said the City Boy Movement was designed to bridge the gap between leadership and young Nigerians.
Olawande stated this in Benin during the City Boy Movement leadership’s tour of the South-South.
The delegation was led by its Grand Patron, Seyi Tinubu, alongside key officials including the Director-General of the movement, Francis Oluwatosin Shola.
He noted that young Nigerians needed to be strategically positioned in governance and nation-building, adding that the South-South tour, which began in Edo State, would serve as a rallying point to mobilise, inspire, and awaken young people across the region.
The minister said, “The City Boy Movement is designed to bridge the gap between leadership and young Nigerians. The South-South tour, which is starting in Edo State, serves as a rallying point to mobilise, inspire, and awaken young people across the region.”
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo used the occasion to underscore the state’s commitment to youth-focused political mobilisation and to reaffirm his backing for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Welcoming the group, Okpebholo praised their decision to launch the South-South regional tour in Edo State, describing it as a recognition of the state’s growing relevance in national political engagement.
He said, “You have not made a mistake coming to the South-South and choosing to come first to Edo State. I am happy to receive you.
“What I see here is a movement that is coordinated, organised, and driven by leadership. That alone gives me confidence that Nigeria’s future is in safe hands.”
Okpebholo said the emergence of structured youth movements like the City Boy Movement signalled a shift toward more strategic and impactful participation of young people in governance.
Drawing a connection between the movement and national leadership, he commended Tinubu for taking bold and decisive steps, particularly on the removal of fuel subsidy, an action he noted was not taken by past administrations.
“What others could not do, Asiwaju has done. Without chaos, he took that bold decision, and today the country is already positioning itself for greater economic stability and growth,” the governor added.
The CBM is a youth-driven political advocacy group supporting President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
It focuses on grassroots mobilisation, youth empowerment, and the promotion of government policies, often organising campus visits, food drives, and nationwide tours to engage young Nigerians.