Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has recounted how his perception of Nigerian entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, changed after he witnessed the way he cared for his late father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Obasanjo made this known during an interview with media personality Isbae U, which aired on Saturday, while explaining his use of the term “Jaga Jaga” to describe the entertainer.
The former president said he initially had little regard for Charly Boy, despite holding his father, the late Justice Oputa, in high regard.
“Well, Charly Boy is so jaga jaga that I don’t know anything about him,” Obasanjo said.
He described Justice Oputa as “a great man” and said he wished his son had taken after him.
“He has a good father, Justice Oputa. Oh, what a great man. I wish Charly Boy had resembled him,” he said.
Obasanjo, however, said his view of Charly Boy began to change after he visited Justice Oputa and discovered that the former jurist was being cared for by his son.
He recalled being initially surprised by the appearance of Charly Boy’s home, particularly after seeing a motorcycle parked in front of the house.
“When I first came to know Charly Boy, I had no iota of regard or respect for him,” he said.
“But when I went to visit Justice and it was in Charly Boy’s house. I didn’t know it was in Charly Boy’s house. So the first thing that put me off in that house, I saw a motorcycle in front of the house. The way the motorcycle was dressed and all that, I said, ‘What is this?’”
Obasanjo said his impression changed after seeing the attention Charly Boy gave his father.
“And then I went inside the house. I saw how Justice was being taken care of and by who? Charly Boy.
“Ah, so I started changing my mind about Charly Boy and until Justice Oputa died, Charly Boy took perfect care of him, looked after him and he really behaved like a good child would to his father.”
The former president said Charly Boy also took care of his mother, whom he described as “a great humorous woman.”
“He didn’t stop there. He did the same to his mother. And I used to frequently visit the mother, who was a great humorous woman. Charly Boy took care of her. Then I started changing my mind. I changed my mind about him,” he said.
Obasanjo further recalled questioning Charly Boy about his unconventional public persona, saying the entertainer explained that it was part of his means of making a living.
“Then one day I asked him, I said, ‘Look, Charly Boy, what is all this?’”
According to Obasanjo, Charly Boy’s explanation also influenced his perception of the entertainer, whom he described as intelligent.
“You said that Jaga Jaga, all those Jaga Jaga things that I see, is to make chop-chop and it’s an intelligent boy, that Charly Boy, all Jaga Jaga, because you cannot do Jaga Jaga to earn a living without being intelligent,” he said.
Obasanjo said he eventually developed some fondness for Charly Boy, although he made it clear that his admiration remained limited.
“So now I like him a bit, not too much,” he said.
