The philosophy of City Boy Movement

In the interest of historical and political education, it is not a new thing for presidents and Prime Ministers to earn, or have nicknames thrust on them. Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents of United States was nicknamed, “Honest Abe.” The nickname originated from when he was still a mere store clerk. The story had it that anytime he discovered that he unknowingly shortchanged a customer even by an infinitesimal difference, he would close the shop, look for the person, and reimburse him/her appropriately, no matter the distance. Lincoln carried on the virtue of honesty to his law practice, and even in politics, he was a man of impeccable integrity. Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany for 16 years was identified with the moniker, “Mutti”, the German word for mummy or mother. The nickname was “initially used by political rivals as a patronizing, ironic and condescending term” but over time, “it evolved into a label for her calm, consistent and empathic leadership, particularly in crisis.” The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau was given the sobriquet, “Little Potato” in China as a result of his last name which sounds like the Mandarin word for potato. His father, Pierre Trudeau, a former PM of Canada (1968-1979; 1980-84) was regarded as the “Senior Potato.” The list is endless in the comity of nations.

Nigeria is no exception.  Although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was bestowed with the prestigious traditional title of Asiwaju of Lagos (“forward-thinking individual”) in 1992, seven years before he became the Governor of Lagos State, and Jagaban of Borgu (“one who leads from the front”) in 2006, yet he is equally identified with other remarkable nicknames. As the only Alliance for Democracy (AD) Governor that survived the Janus-faced operation-capture-Southwest states for PDP in the 2003 re-election of Obasanjo, Tinubu meritoriously earned the nickname – The Last man standing. But today, the term “City Boy” has become a spreading out moniker for President Tinubu, having grown up in the economic hub and metropolitan town of Lagos.  Lagos is unarguably the foremost cosmopolitan city in Nigeria. The British annexed Lagos Colony in 1861, and in 1914, it served as the capital of the Colony and the newly amalgamated northern and southern protectorates. Lagos also remained the capital of independent Nigeria from 1960-1991.

Relatedly, Tinubu honed his leadership and pro-democracy credentials in Lagos. He represented the Lagos West senatorial district at the national assembly in the botched third republic. He was also the governor of the state for eight years and has remained a central figure in the state’s politics for close to three decades. Deservedly, he is a Lagos City Boy.

Founded in 2022, the City Boy Movement (CBM) is a youth-driven, civic mobilization and advocacy group with membership between the ages of 18 and 50 years. Older allies are made to function as patrons. CBM has a clearly drawn structure and organogram from the national to the ward levels across the 774 LGAs of the country. The core objective of CBM is to demonstrate unalloyed support for the administration, policies and continuity of President Tinubu (the City Boy). With Mr. President’s son, Barrister Seyi Tinubu as its national patron, ”the movement brings together young professionals, students, artisans, entrepreneurs, creative industry players, traders and grassroot organizers” to create public awareness of government initiatives, mobilize the citizenry for Tinubu’s re-election, and foster youth engagement and empowerment. In general terms, the code of conduct of CBM is alluring. It partly states that “members shall not engage in violence, thuggery, intimidation, or any act capable of disrupting public peace.”  Also, “Hate speech and incitement along ethnic, religious or regional lines are strictly prohibited.” Part of the social media engagement rule is that “members should respond to criticism with facts and civility, not insults or abusive language”, just as it admonishes that “campaigns shall be issue-based, focusing on policies and performance rather than personal attacks.”

In point of fact, no other geo-political zone has given CBM a spirited momentum and traction like the Southeast. The appointment of celebrity entrepreneur, Mr. Obinna Iyiegbu (Cubana) as the Southeast zonal coordinator and as a rallying point of other wealthy social media influencers, gave fillip to the movement. But in a reactionary counterpoise, a group of ardent supporters of Mr. Peter Obi came up with the “Village Boys Movement.”  They trolled the promoters of CBM in the Southeast with scathing remarks.

However, in his intervention titled, “Between City Boys and Village Boys’ Movements, Obinna Chima, Editor, THISDAY Saturday, cautioned against “a gradual replacement of ideas with insults, policies with personality attacks, and democratic persuasion with online hostility.” He noted that “There have been online attacks and banters from critics who have labelled the move a betrayal of earlier political loyalties.” Indeed, hate-labelling comes with dire consequences and it is not in the interest of Ndigbo to play the dirty card. Resorting to cyberbullying is political shortsightedness. Not every Yoruba is supporting Tinubu today. In 2023, Peter Obi enjoyed significant support beyond the Igbo nationality. Ndigbo do have the numbers to go it alone. The best bet would be to build bridges and negotiate with power brokers and those that control the numbers. Politics is not played by emotions. It takes long-term planning and strategic brinkmanship.

As the preparations for 2027 elections gather impetus, it is the constitutional right of young people who are convinced to brace up to the CBM platform to engage and benefit from the quantum resources freed up by Tinubu’s bold reforms. It is a golden opportunity to empower millions of amazingly talented young minds.  The economic empowerment must go beyond few political appointments. There should be handsome grants to fund entrepreneurial initiatives. Technological and scientific hubs at both the formal and informal sectors should be cultured and commercialized for wealth creation.   Overall, agriculture and digital economy present limitless opportunities to unleash prosperity. Be that as it may, members of CBM need to show commitment and take advantage of Tinubu’s beckoning for a massive change of levels.