Another Look At The City Boys And The Village Boys Movement And Other Matters -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

As the countdown to the 2027 general election begins, many political organizations are jostling for space and relevance. And with it comes the emergence of different support groups and sub-groups within the political parties. Among the most prominent of the disparate political support groups are the City Boys Movement and the Village Boys Movement.

The City Boys Movement founded and powered by Seyi Tinubu, the son of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the purpose of galvanizing support for the continued stay in power of Tinubu beyond 2027. Their major campaign thrust is anchored on the belief that political benefit from the government depends on aligning strategically with the government at the center. They want Nigerians to believe that Tinubu’s reform is yielding fruit and should be sustained.

The City Boys’ Movement invariably represents the nouveau riche class with all its exploitative condescending attitude towards the poor masses. The majority of those who populate the movement are young millionaire some of whom it is alleged have questionable sources of wealth. The ostentatious life-style of the City Boys seems to be an affront on the suffering Nigeria masses reeling under the throes of Tinubu’s pauperizing economic policies. Obinna Iyiegbu alias Obi Cubana, Paschal Okechukwu (Cubana Chief Priest), the Nollywood ace actor, Yule Edochie and other young business men are among the prominent members of the movement. Many believed that their involvement is driven by opportunism, self-preservation and quest for relevance.  Some also thought that their main purpose is basically to protect their wealth and investments in Lagos from the Lagos Area-boys and those hell-bent on destroying the property of those opposed to Tinubu’s rule.

The Village Boys’ Movement on the other hand is part of the broader youth movement created to counter the “deception” of the city boys. It is an offshoot of the Obidient Movement that is formed to support the presidential aspirations of Mr. Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State. It is populated mostly by ordinary, struggling Nigerian youths who believes that Nigeria must be rescued from the stranglehold of power profiteers and political opportunists in the APC. Many individuals in the village boys group are highly adaptive, resourceful, and deeply connected to their socio-political environment. They believe in grassroots mobilization and civic awakening and renaissance. The Village Boys Movement rely on mass appeal, through social media and their mantra is: “rig and die”. However, they seem not to have any purpose other than to counter the City Boys Movement and sensitize Nigerians about the danger of continued stay of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in power.

Undoubtedly, the two movements highlights the ongoing tension between aspiration, reality, and political deception. There is the socio-political metaphors and different orientations towards the 2027 general election. For many young Nigerians, there is a desire to evolve beyond their immediate environment, gain exposure and access better opportunities. There is also the influence of the social media, the realities of economic disparity and the enduring importance of perception in Nigeria life. The contrast between the two movements is symbolic: establishments versus the grassroots, continuity versus change, the ephemeral versus the future and deception versus deception.

The City Boys display wealth and affluence which may not necessarily connote virtue or competence. The City boys Movement presents sophistication and glamor that evokes a feeling of resentment in the minds of the suffering Nigerian masses while the village boys portrays resilience and commitment for a positive change. Thus, the City Movement in this context may connote hardship, betrayal, hostility, pretentious life, oppression, despotic cruelty in the APC government in contrast with the idyllic, exciting and peaceful and refreshing village scenery that will be ushered in when the APC administration is voted out. The Village boys believe that you cannot keep Tinubu who has betrayed the Nigerian masses in power without relying on state instruments of coercion, subterfuge, exploitation and violation of the rights of the citizens.

The APC government under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought untold hardship to Nigerians. And so anything or any group that tends to market Tinubu will be facing an uphill task. That clearly explains the disruption of the City Boys rally in Owerri the penultimate week. The leadership of the City Boys Movement claims that they are committed to mobilizing, mentoring, and grooming Nigerian youths for responsible leadership while promoting discipline, patriotism and service to the nation. On Saturday, the 14th day of March, members of the City Boys Movement had converged in Owerri for a rally which according to them was to provide skill-support tools, empowerment materials and civic engagement programs for young Nigerians. Many observers have wondered why the Movement had waited until now to provide the so-called empowerment tools. A movement that believes in distributing hand-outs as a way of influencing the youths whom the government ill-conceived policies have kept impoverished and vulnerable tells more about the quality of the product that they are marketing. Indeed, it goes to show that Tinubu is a hard sell.

Be that as it may, while it is healthy in a democratic setting to have interest groups canvassing for attention and relevance, the groups should play according to rules of engagement. They should concentrate on issue-based campaigns, fact-based debates, constructive criticisms, policies, programs and ethical engagement rather than insults, violence, intimidation and bullying, hostility or character assassination.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed 

hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com

An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK