Our Reporter, New York
The headmaster of the Village Boys Movement, Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, has declared that the group will support only Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the movement’s political engagement is built entirely around Obi’s anticipated presence on the ballot.
He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on the flagship online programme, 90MinutesAfrica, where he described the Village Boys Movement as a grassroots awakening among Nigerian youths rather than a conventional political campaign.
According to the media entrepreneur, the movement emerged organically across different parts of the country without the backing of political godfathers or elite structures.
“The Village Boys Movement is working on the premise of the statement by Peter Obi that he will be on the ballot in the 2027 elections,” Ezeoke said.
“So it is either Peter Obi or nothing else for us.”
He explained that the movement began quietly “across social media platforms, university campuses, marketplaces, technology hubs and community gatherings,” before gradually spreading across cities and regions of the country.
“From Enugu to Kaduna and from Ibadan to Uyo,” Ezeoke said, young Nigerians increasingly began identifying themselves as “Village Boys,” a phrase he described as symbolic of a broader social and political awakening.
“This is not branding, it is an awakening,” he said, adding that the movement represents a shift in how Nigerian youths perceive their role in the country’s political landscape.
Maazi Ezeoke also linked the rise of the movement to reactions against the so-called “City Boys Movement,” which gained attention through viral social media videos depicting them showcasing branded luxury cars.
According to him, the videos sparked reflection among many young Nigerians who felt their energy and loyalty were being used merely as a political spectacle.
“That moment triggered a realization among many Nigerian youths that their loyalty was being commercialized and their identity reduced to cheering for elite structures,” the CEO of Njenje Media said.
He noted that, without any central coordination, many youths began rallying around the Village Boys identity to redefine their place in Nigeria’s political and cultural space.
Beyond symbolism, Ezeoke said the movement’s primary objective is to mobilize citizens ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Our goal is to mobilize Nigerians to make the right choice in the 2027 elections,” he said.
“We are telling Nigerians to consider their lives and decide if the government has kept to its promise of renewed hope or if they have been sunk into hopelessness.”
The host of the State of the Igbo Nation Series also emphasized that the movement is not forcing political decisions on voters but encouraging participation in the democratic process.
“The choice is for everyone to make,” he said.
“We are only mobilizing to ensure everyone comes out to make their choice through the ballot.”
Reflecting on the economic situation since the last election cycle, Maazi Ezeoke argued that ordinary Nigerians are already feeling the consequences of political decisions.
Citing the rising cost of fuel as a personal example, Ezeoke recalled that on the eve of the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, he filled his car’s fuel tank for less than ₦4,000 at a station in Abuja.
“Today I will spend over ₦50,000 to fill the tank of that same vehicle,” he said.
“That’s how ridiculous things have become.”
He described the development as a direct consequence of electoral choices made during the 2023 elections and urged Nigerians to reflect carefully ahead of the next electoral cycle.
