The Eternal Punk

 Charly Boy: A  Punk Forever 

          
Probably because he possess more than his fair share of rebel spirit, creativity and cult followership, the life of Charles Oputa a.k.a Charly Boy reads like a Sydney Sheldon best seller adapted into script for Hollywood.

Born and bred by an eminent jurist, of the finest pedigree, Charlyboy grew up in his own ways to become the reference point for punk heroism in this part of the world. He is such a non-conformist that even his father, retired Justice Chukuwudifu Oputa wonders at time whether he is own son. More concerned about the Charly Boy dream, his son seems to care less about that. 

In the words of Charly Boy, his well heeled background never meant much to him. “I have always been a street boy. I went to posh schools but I never liked posh schools. Right from youth, I have always, rebelled against that bourgeoisie background. I always run off with street kids, play football, go to the bush and do hunting.

“While growing up, I was always reminded about who I am, the name I bear and how I must not follow certain people. I revolted against that because nobody has the right, not even my parents to tell me who should be my friend or not. If you see me running around with Okada people or the less privileged, it is where I belong to and more so, something has to be done about their situation.

“I know I belong there because I was poor and wretched for almost fifteen darks years of my life, I didn’t have anything. So, if you see me running around with Okada people, poor people, area boys, know that it is something coming from my past, not just because I picked that along the way. I feel comfortable, more comfortable with that constituency than I do with the high and mighty.”

Without doubt, weird heavily tattooed Charly Boy with his pierced eyelids, heavily studded ear lobe, nose and ring clad fingers, has evolved over the years from a maverick musician, broadcaster, rebel, activist into a role model of sorts. Though despised in his days of weird beginning, Charly Boy, the self styled king of punk and leader of the people’s army, as well as president general of Okada riders, has become an accepted phenomenon across the country, in spite of his controversial ways.

Often glimpsed around Lagos metropolis on his trademark means of transportation, a power bike, it will come as a surprise to many that the snazzy punk called Charly Boy and who bubbles with much youthful energy, has attained the golden age.

A boy at 50 and beyond
Certainly, he has crossed the golden age threshold but if many think that will perhaps open another chapter in the life of Charly Boy, they may be mistaken because he has consistently reiterated his commitment to the Charly Boy phenomenon over the years.

Truly so, he has been consistently controversial and for the man whose yet-to-be published autobiography is titled, My Private Parts and whose music, Colour me bad, is yet to see the light of the day after many years, he will remain Charly Boy and will not turn to Charly Man, as some expect.

“I don’t have any role model. The only role model I have as Mr. Oputa is Charly Boy and he has brought me this far. A lot of people ask, when will Charly Boy become CharlyMan? I think they are ignorant. There is no need for Charly Boy to become Charly Man or Charly Grandfather, or whatever.

“It is the character and the image that is Charly Boy that has opened doors for me, gotten me tremendous respect, regardless of the unorthodox ways in which he approach things and that is a style, which makes him unique. Definitely, I do not want Charly Boy to look like you, that is why he is Charly Boy and that is why he standouts. If Charly Boy has brought me this far, why should I jump the ship any day so, forever, I hold on to Charly Boy even till I am ninety years old, because I see him taking me to a lot of places”, he informs.

The Charly Boy phenomenon
In spite of possessing a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communication, Masters Degree in Mass Communication as well as Radio and Television Production and a Diploma in Business Administration from Harvard University, Charles Oputa came up with Charly Boy identity in 1983, and it was tough nurturing that identity.

Hear him: “For more than twenty years, I worked very hard. Even when nobody believed in the concept that is Charly Boy, everybody thought I was a drop out. But nothing deterred me. I pursued my dreams with stubborn determination.

“Many were not aware that ten- fifteen years ago, I could not put food on my table and I had one car that always slept at the mechanic workshop because I did not have enough money. I was begging and I asked most Nigerian artistes to beg for sponsorship on my behalf for a show I have run for almost thirteen years, without sponsorship.

“It was only a miracle how I survived those dark years of my life. Having to go through that hell fire and still be what I wanted to be, still getting the things I love to do with passion done, takes a lot and that is what I am trying to instill in the young ones. I have been consistent and tremendously focused over the years. I do not do any other business apart from showbiz, entertainment and public relations.”

Today, Charly Boy has not only evolved into a role model and a light that point the direction for some youths, he has made money as well, by doing things his own way. According to him, the decision to get things done without his own way had its own price, which was long suffering. “It was not because I had no option and if I can make it, it tells you that any body that is not only focused and consistent but also believes in his dream will make it.  That is what the Charly Boy model aims to impress on the young ones.”

His many controversies
Charlyboy, whose flair for confrontation and strong-arm tactics is legendary, had engaged in face-offs with corporate bodies such as Multichoice Nigeria over what he termed the illegal broadcast of his television programme, the Charlyboy Show. Similarly, he rallied round seasoned songstress, Onyeka Onwenu while doing battle with Nigeria Television Authority over copyright.

Presently, both Onyeka and Charly Boy do not see eye to eye, thanks to the rivalry between PMRS and MCSN, the two collecting societies in the country. He pitched his tent with MCSN and did battle with PMRS and the Nigerian Copyright Commission during the tenure of Professor Eyinne Nwauche. Controversy, it seems, makes his adrenalin pumping.

Ironically, Charlyboy whose profile was further notched up, during his tenure as president of Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria, PMAN, thanks to entertainment journalists did battle with the same set of professionals who hyped his performance in office. At the last count, the entertainment editor of PM News was seriously battered and he allegedly fingered Charly Boy as the culprit.  

The unfortunate incidence was a fall-out of his bitter quarrel with a cross section of entertainment journalists, which made the Lagos chapter of Nigerian Union of Journalist to place embargo on all activities and events organized by Charly Boy, while he was still PMAN president. Even at that, the controversial leader of the music union still managed to get attention from a cross section of the media. 

There was however one battle that Charly Boy did not win, his strive with Nigeria Breweries Plc, organizers of the Star Mega Jamz. It would be recalled that the same Charly Boy while leading PMAN made it mandatory that all mega concerts in the country must be approved by the music union.

“The PMAN endorsement of mega concerts is to make sure that our colleagues benefit from the coming of international artistes. That is why we say, for every international artiste; eight of our artiste should be on the concert. We also want to know what kind of remuneration that is coming to our members, for them not to be for granted” Charly Boy said, while giving reasons why all mega concerts must be PMAN approved.

However, trouble started between the Charly Boy led PMAN and Nigerian Breweries, when the latter opted to hold its 2005 edition of Star Mega Jamz without approval from PMAN over issue the legitimacy of the said approval. The once rosy relationship between PMAN and Nigerian Breweries took a turn for the worse, with the Charly Boy led musicians’ union threatening to disrupt the Star Mega Jamz.

The impasse led to the arrest of Charly Boy, some days before the concert kicked. The mega concert held as scheduled, without any approval from PMAN.       

It was not surprising that his last days as president of Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria, was marked with controversy. Controversy, which seems to be intrinsic to the Charly Boy phenomenon, dogged his hand over of power. Charly Boy fell apart with his first vice president, Dele Abiodun who alleged that the punk king wanted to sit tight in office.

The fall out was the present schism in PMAN, which saw Dele Abiodun laying claim to the office of PMAN president, after an election disregarded by some of the Charly Boy led national executive of the music union, who later swore in Hare Krishna monk, Bolaji Rosiji, as the next PMAN president after holding what was termed a truly representative election.