Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has recounted how his perception of Nigerian entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlie Boy, changed after he witnessed the care he gave his late father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Obasanjo, who described the late Supreme Court Justice as a “great man” and one of the Nigerians he respected during his lifetime, said he initially had little regard for Charlie Boy.
Speaking in an interview with media personality Bae U, published on Saturday, Obasanjo said he once wished the entertainer had resembled his father.
“Charlie Boy is so jaga jaga that I don’t know anything about him,” he said.
However, Obasanjo said his opinion changed after he visited Justice Oputa and discovered that the retired jurist was living in a house owned by Charlie Boy and being well cared for by him.
He recalled being initially put off by the sight of a motorcycle parked in front of the house, saying its appearance made him wonder what kind of place he had entered.
But after going inside, he was impressed by the way Charlie Boy cared for his father.
“I saw how Justice was being taken care of and by who? Charlie Boy. Ah, so I started changing my mind about Charlie Boy.”
Obasanjo said Charlie Boy continued to take “perfect care” of his father until his death, describing his conduct as that of “a good child” towards his parent.
He added that Charlie Boy later explained that his unconventional public persona was partly a strategy for making a living.
According to Obasanjo, the explanation made him appreciate the entertainer’s intelligence.
He said Charlie Boy told him that the “jaga jaga” image was a way of making money, which Obasanjo said required intelligence.
The former president said he subsequently developed some affection for Charlie Boy, although he added jokingly: “So now I like him a bit, not too much.”