Tunde Bakare
Nigerian youths have been urged to embrace responsibility, uphold unity and place national interest above personal ambition, with a call to prioritise service, sacrifice and purposeful action in advancing the country’s development.
The charge was contained in a goodwill message by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to participants at the 2026 National Retreat of the City Boy Movement, themed “Youth, Unity and Action.”
The Chief of Staff said that the country’s future would not emerge by chance but through deliberate efforts by young Nigerians willing to place service above self, sacrifice above comfort and the nation’s interest above personal ambition.
He noted the retreat as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, saying it comes at a critical period of economic transformation and institutional renewal under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“No nation rises above the quality of its youth. Every generation’s destiny is shaped by its willingness to embrace responsibility, uphold unity, and turn vision into action. The future we seek will not arrive by chance; it will be built deliberately by men and women who choose service over self, sacrifice over comfort, and nation over narrow interest.
Gbajabiamila said the Tinubu administration had confronted long-standing structural challenges through bold economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the foreign exchange market and the modernisation of the country’s tax system for the first time in a generation.
He said the measures were gradually restoring economic stability, easing inflationary pressures and rebuilding investor confidence in the Nigerian economy.
“These bold reforms are steadily restoring economic stability, with inflation easing and renewed investor confidence in the Nigerian economy. Alongside them, deliberate investment in infrastructure, human capital, and youth empowerment — through initiatives such as expanded student loans and the drive to equip millions of young Nigerians with technical skills — is opening real opportunity for the next generation. These are the early dividends of reforms designed not for short-term applause, but for lasting national renewal.” Gbajabiamila said.
He commended the Patron and National Leader of the City Boy Movement, Barr. Seyi Tinubu, describing his vision and commitment to youth development as the driving force behind the movement’s growth.
“His commitment to nurturing a disciplined, purpose-driven generation of young leaders reflects the very best of the Renewed Hope ideal, and the strength of the City Boy Movement today owes much to his guidance and personal example.”
Gbajabiamila described the retreat’s theme, “Youth, Unity and Action,” as timely and significant, saying it captures the values required to advance Nigeria’s development.
He said youth embodies innovation, courage and resilience, while unity enables the country’s diversity to become a source of strength. According to him, meaningful progress can only be achieved when ideas are translated into concrete action and measurable impact.
Gbajabiamila tasked members of the City Boy Movement to serve as worthy ambassadors of the Renewed Hope Agenda by building bridges across communities, promoting peaceful engagement, inspiring confidence among young Nigerians and demonstrating that true leadership.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadeji called for stronger grassroots mobilisation, institutional strengthening and sustained public engagement to consolidate the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Francis Oluwatosin Shoga, unveiled the movement’s strategic roadmap to mobilise 10 million youth votes for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, with emphasis on grassroots mobilisation rather than social media campaigns.
He said the strategy centres on expanding the movement’s structures across the 36 states and deepening ward-level engagement through community-based advocates to counter misinformation and promote the Renewed Hope Agenda.
In his remarks, National Secretary of the movement, Tosin Odufuwa, described the retreat as a defining moment for the organisation.
“This retreat has not been convened simply for long speeches or ceremonies. Our clear mandate is to strengthen our institution, sharpen our strategies, deepen coordination across every level of our structure and prepare the City Boy Movement for the next phase of nationwide mobilisation,” he said.
Odufuwa said the movement had evolved into one of Nigeria’s largest youth-driven political organisations but must continue to improve its coordination and professionalism.
He urged participants to leave the retreat with a unified vision and stronger national structure, adding, “May our conversations produce clarity, may our strategy produce victory and may our unity produce a stronger movement.”
Day Two of the retreat, themed ‘National Leadership, Mobilisation and Strategy’, brought together the City Boy Movement’s coordinators from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the National Working Committee. The session was attended by the Movement’s Patron, Barrister Seyi Tinubu; the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; and other key stakeholders.