Seyi Tinubu urges youths to take active role in shaping Nigeria’s future

The founder of the City Boy Movement, Seyi Tinubu, has urged Nigerian youths to take an active role in governance and decision-making, saying they must not remain passive observers while decisions affecting their future are being made.

Tinubu made the call on Monday at the Seyi Tinubu Colloquium, held at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, with the theme, “Shaping the Future Together”.

He said the younger generation must draw lessons from those who fought for Nigeria’s independence and the restoration of democracy, stressing that young people should participate in public life and take responsibility for the country’s future.

According to him, the younger generation must be prepared to engage with governance, contribute workable ideas and demand a place at decision-making tables rather than leave the task of shaping the country to others.

“Our generation must regain the same sense of ownership of the current moment. The decisions being taken today will determine the economy in which we live, the opportunities available to us and the future we create for our children,” he said.

Tinubu argued that leadership responsibility should begin long before an individual assumes public office, urging young Nigerians to understand the country’s history, study policy choices and ask critical questions about government decisions.

“The transformation of responsibility begins before the transformation of office,” he said.

He also expressed support for the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, including the removal of the petrol subsidy, reforms to the foreign exchange system and changes to the tax system.

According to him, the measures are intended to address structural challenges in the economy and create a foundation for long-term prosperity, although he acknowledged that their immediate effects had placed pressure on households.

He said the difficulties families had experienced following the reforms should be considered alongside the administration’s stated objectives of improving infrastructure, attracting investment and expanding economic opportunities.

“Changes have not been easy. Families whose budgets have been stretched have felt the pain immediately, while the lasting improvements have been more difficult to feel or touch,” he said.

Tinubu added that investments in roads, power, mining, manufacturing and agriculture could improve productivity, connect businesses to markets and create opportunities for young Nigerians.

He maintained that the value of public policies and institutions should be measured partly by their ability to benefit generations beyond the administration that introduced them.

“A road built today will serve people who have not yet been born. An institution strengthened today can protect opportunities for Nigerians yet unborn,” he said.

The City Boy Movement founder urged members of his organisation and other youth support groups to translate their political involvement into meaningful contributions to their communities.

He said political access should be used to develop competent individuals capable of earning public confidence and taking on responsibilities in governance.

“Our movement must develop people who can undertake serious work and earn the confidence of their communities. Political access gives us an opportunity, but what we do with it will benefit not only us but also the future of the country,” he said.

Describing young Nigerians as a major source of enterprise and creativity, Tinubu urged them to channel their energy into public service and nation-building.

“Young Nigerians are ready, and we are also the biggest engine in this country’s enterprise and creativity. We must bring that energy and ability into public life,” he said.

He further identified legacy as an important measure of leadership, urging youths to remember the struggles that shaped the country’s political development and insist on being included in decisions affecting their lives.

Tinubu also acknowledged the role played by earlier generations in the struggle for democracy, noting that their participation had helped create the democratic space in which Nigerians could freely assemble and discuss the country’s future.

He said the younger generation had a responsibility to sustain that democratic tradition by participating in political processes and contributing to the formulation and implementation of policies.

Addressing youths at the gathering, he said, “Go forward and remember where we came from. Go forward and demand to be given a chance. Go forward and demand to be in the room.”

He urged members of the City Boy Movement and other affiliated support groups to take the responsibility seriously, adding that the country’s future would depend partly on the willingness of young people to engage in its governance.