By Arabinrin Aderonke
Abuja, Nigeria — The City Boy Movement (CBM) on Monday commenced its maiden three-day National Retreat in Abuja, bringing together members of its Governing Board, National Working Committee (NWC), National Directors, State Directors and other stakeholders from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The retreat, which runs from Monday, July 13 to Wednesday, July 15, 2026, is aimed at strengthening the movement’s structures, reviewing its progress and preparing members for intensified grassroots mobilisation in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
A major highlight of the opening ceremony was the formal swearing-in of members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and State Directors, who took the oath of office, pledging to uphold the constitution, ideals, and objectives of the City Boy Movement with integrity, loyalty, and dedication. The ceremony also featured goodwill messages from the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande; the Movement’s Patron, Barrister Seyi Tinubu; and the Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Hon. Francis Oluwatosin Shoga.
In his address, Comrade Ayodele Olawande called on members to remain united, disciplined and focused, stressing that “Politics is not a game for those who sit on the sidelines. This is the time to organise, mobilise and take our message to every street, every community and every home.” He urged participants to return to their respective states as ambassadors of the Renewed Hope Agenda, communicating the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration while remaining responsive to Nigerians’ aspirations.
Welcoming participants, Barrister Seyi Tinubu described the retreat as “the gathering of a movement” and “not a celebration of yesterday, but a preparation for tomorrow.” He said the City Boy Movement had evolved into a formidable national platform committed to youth participation, democratic engagement and service, urging members to become “communicators, educators, mobilisers and ambassadors of hope” by engaging Nigerians with facts, empathy and responsible leadership.
Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Francis Oluwatosin Shoga challenged members to build a disciplined, united and purpose-driven organisation capable of standing the test of time. He highlighted the Tinubu administration’s reforms, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), youth skills development, digital innovation, infrastructure expansion and economic reforms, describing them as practical expressions of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The City Boy Movement must become the bridge between the message and the people. We must inform, engage and empower Nigerians with clarity, facts and conviction,” Shoga said.
The Director-General unveiled an ambitious mobilisation target, declaring: “Our mission is clear. Our target is 10 million votes. Our strength is our people. And our time is now.”
He emphasised that the goal could only be achieved through sustained grassroots engagement, adding that “10 million votes will not come from slogans or social media. They will come from real people, real structures, real engagement and real work at the grassroots.”
He charged every National Director, State Director and member to take ownership of the movement’s membership drive by expanding its presence in every ward and community across the country.
“If you believe in this movement, bring someone into this movement. Get involved. Get organised. Get to work,” he said, adding: “History will one day ask what we did when we were allowed to serve. Let our answer be simple: we stood up, we organised, we worked, we mobilised, and we delivered.”
The three-day retreat will feature strategic planning sessions, leadership development, policy engagements and capacity-building programmes designed to strengthen the City Boy Movement’s organisational effectiveness nationwide.
Participants are expected to adopt a roadmap for deeper grassroots mobilisation, expand membership across the federation and reinforce support for the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of future political engagements.
