ONLY A CITY BOY CAN BRAND A CITY: OKPEBHOLO’S COVENANT WITH THE NEXT GENERATION IN BENIN

Henry J

SSA to Governor Monday okpeboholo on Blue Space Media and PA on Media to Edo State Renewed Hope Ambassador CoOrdinator

It was Thursday in Benin City, and the air inside the Edo State Government House carried the quiet weight of history. The South-South tour of the City Boy Movement had chosen Edo as its first port of call, and waiting to receive them was the man many now call _the beautiful Governor of the universe_ and _our distinguished Daddy_ — His Royal Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State.

The delegation walked in led by its Grand Patron, Seyi Tinubu. With him were Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, and the Movement’s Director-General, Francis Oluwatosin Shola. What they met was not just protocol. They met warmth, clarity, and a governor who understands the language of the streets and the demands of leadership.

Governor Okpebholo rose to welcome them with the ease of a father receiving his children who had returned home with good news. “You have not made a mistake coming to the South-South and choosing Edo State. I am happy to receive you,” he told them. His eyes scanned the room, and his words followed with conviction: “What I see here is a movement that is coordinated, organised, and driven by leadership. That alone gives me confidence that Nigeria’s future is in safe hands.”

Then came the line that would echo beyond the walls of Government House. With a smile that blended pride and prophecy, the Governor declared, “Only a city boy can truly build and brand a city.” In that moment, he tied the soul of the City Boy Movement to the soul of governance itself. He was saying that politics without structure is noise, and leadership without the energy of the youth is an empty chair.

The conversation shifted to the nation. Governor Okpebholo spoke of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the reverence of a man who has watched history from the trenches. He praised the President for doing what others feared to touch. “What others could not do, Asiwaju has done. Without chaos, he took that bold decision on fuel subsidy, and today the country is already positioning itself for greater economic stability and growth.”

It was not just praise. It was alignment. “For us in Edo, the decision is clear. We have already endorsed him for a second term. We are proud to align with a movement that reflects vision, structure, and purpose,” the Governor said. The words landed like a seal on a covenant.

Earlier, Minister Ayodele Olawande had laid out the heart of the Movement. This was not another youth gathering for photographs. It was a bridge, he said, designed to connect young Nigerians to leadership and to place them strategically in the work of nation-building. The South-South tour, beginning in Edo, was to be a rallying point to mobilise, inspire, and awaken the region.

The room itself told a story of government in full formation. Deputy Governor RT Hon Dennis Idahosa sat to the Governor’s right. Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq, took notes with the calm of a man used to history. Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, Esq, and APC State Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, were among the other dignitaries who witnessed the moment.

For the City Boy Movement, Benin was more than a stop. It was a statement. And for Governor Monday Okpebholo, the visit was a chance to restate his creed: that sustainable development only happens when young people are given the platform to lead, innovate, and contribute meaningfully.

When the delegation left Government House, they carried with them more than handshakes. They carried the endorsement of a Governor who believes cities are built by those who know the streets, and nations are saved by those bold enough to act.

In Benin City that Thursday, the City Boy Movement found not just a host, but a believer. And Edo State, once again, positioned itself as the hub where youth inclusion meets real power.