Entertainment

Why I disowned my father, Charly Boy opens up

Published

5 years ago

February 5, 2022

Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy

The dream of every father is to see his son take after him in many ways and perhaps, continue his legacy even after he has gone to the great beyond.

But this was not the same story with renowned Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, whose big dream and desire to see his son, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy toe his noble path was frustrated by the latter’s unrepentant quest to create his own identity outside of his father’s looming shadow.

The youthful Charly Boy then was a complete opposite of what his late father stood for, while he lived.Being eager to chart his own course, Charly Boy rebelled against parental interference in his career path with a determination to deliver himself as a gift to his generation, a decision he paid dearly for, but never regretted in any way.While his late father was a legal luminary, Charly Boy opted for the streets dashing the high hopes of his father for him.

To make matters worse, the Area Fada as he’s fondly called by his admirers rejected the plum job at Mobil Oil and Gas that was already secured for him by his influential father ahead of his return from the United States after his studies.Rejecting that job, however, triggered the anger, hatred and beef that lingered between father and son for almost a lifetime.

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They, however, both reconciled their differences before his father’s exit.Meanwhile, recounting the genesis of his fight with his late father back in time, while featuring on Plus TV Africa, Charly Boy said the fight was based on the fact that he wanted to break out of his father’s shadow.

The maverick musician said that he believed in creating his own identity and sustaining it no matter the odds.His words: “My father wasn’t happy with me and for me, I was tired of living under his shadow. I wanted to break out and do my own thing. So, when he asked me what I wanted to do, I told him that I wanted to become an entertainer. Everybody was disappointed in me. And that was when I decided I was going to cut the biblical chord between myself and my parents.”

Charly Boy described his relationship with his late father back then as ‘messed up’, saying, “We weren’t talking to each other. In fact, I can boldly say that I disowned my parents. It got to a point where I couldn’t really take care of my family. I was living with my incumbent wife at a time in the village.”

For him, it’s like a burden to have a public figure as a father. “For instance, look at Femi Kuti, legendary Fela’s son. Fela was that big but could you imagine the struggle Femi at a time was going through to define his own identity. No matter what he will do at a time, he can’t be like his father. I didn’t want to live under anybody’s shadow.”On rejecting the Mobil Oil and Gas plump job, Charly Boy said he never wanted to work for anybody in his life.

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According to him, “You can’t just wake up one early morning and hand over a letter of appointment to me, asking me to resume work immediately. I wouldn’t take that from anybody. I never had any discussion with my father that I was looking for paid employment. So, when he gave me the appointment letter, while living in Owerri, I told him I wasn’t going anywhere. And that was when our fight really started.”

“Luckily for me, he was just promoted as a Supreme Court Judge. He moved to Lagos, while I relocated to the village. It was in the village that I started building the brand called Charly Boy. Those were the darkest seven years of my life because that was when I came to appreciate poverty. Village is where elderly people and senior citizens go to relax and fade out. There’s no prospect in the village even though I had a recording studio there.

“Sometimes, parents are overbearing and they worry a lot about their children. I have learnt from my parents to worry less. I’m sure my father’s wildest dream when I was 15- 20 years was to take after him. He believed I wanted to throw away my life, but I know what I wanted. I wasn’t going to throw away my life, but I was going to do it in my own way,” Charly Boy stated.

While sojourning in his village, Oguta in Imo State, Charly Boy lost the support and care of his parents to the point where life became miserable to him. In order to survive, the maverick musician allowed his American wife, Lady D who became one of the strongest forces behind the success of the Charly Boy brand, to travel back to the United States to make money for their upkeep.

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Recalling the experience, Charly Boy described living in the village as ‘horrible’, adding “those were the darkest seven years of my life.“You can imagine one leaving America to end up in the village with no water, no power supply. We were stuck in the village. The beginning seemed alright because I quickly set up an emergency studio where guys were coming to patronize me. But after the first year, everything dried up and people weren’t forthcoming again. That was when I learnt how to eat bread and groundnut for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That was what I could afford for my family at a time. So, for three years when I was battling with poverty, I asked my wife to travel back to the United States to hustle to support me. She was there for four years sending money back home for our upkeep”.

Charly Boy also recalled how his path and that of popular artiste, Tyna Onwudiwe who played a major role in creating the Charly Boy brand crossed.

Recalling, he said “During one of my rare trips to Lagos to scout for a recording company to accept my body of work, I met Tyna Onwudiwe of blessed memory. That woman did a lot of work on me. She was the one that restored my confidence. Seven years in the village robbed me of my confidence.

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Temi Nkem Wins N160m BBNaija Season 11 Grand Prize

Published

4 days ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Temi Nkem Wins N160m BBNaija Season 11 Grand Prize

Temi Nkem has emerged as the winner of Big Brother Naija Season 11, taking the N160 million grand prize at the grand finale of the reality television show.

Nkem was crowned winner of the “Show Ya Sef” edition on Sunday, October 4, 2026, after 70 days in the BBNaija house.

The 21-year-old, whose real name is Temitope Chigbue, secured 25.87 per cent of the final votes to finish ahead of Aikou, who polled 23.68 per cent and emerged as the first runner-up. Sheba finished in third place with 9.80 per cent of the votes.

The finale brought the competition among the remaining housemates to an end after a season that featured weekly tasks, nominations, evictions and several twists.

The BBNaija Season 11 winner will receive a prize package valued at N160 million, comprising N90 million in cash, a brand-new SUV and other sponsored prizes.

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The cash component was adjusted from the initially announced N100 million after N10 million was allocated to the season’s Most Influential Player of the Week (MIPOW) prize fund.

Nkem’s victory also makes her the fifth female winner in BBNaija history, following previous female champions Mercy Eke, Phyna, Ilebaye and Imisi.

The season began on July 26 with 24 housemates competing for the grand prize. The finale eventually narrowed the field to nine finalists before the final positions were determined through viewers’ votes.

During the live finale, Aikou was announced as the first runner-up, while Sheba finished as the second runner-up.

The finale also featured performances by Nigerian singers Teni and Oshamo and was hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.

With her victory, Temi Nkem succeeds Imisi, the winner of BBNaija Season 10, as the latest champion of the popular Nigerian reality television franchise.

Temi Nkem Wins N160m BBNaija Season 11 Grand Prize

Entertainment

‘Pick A Date’ — Tiwa Savage Accepts Teni’s Boxing Challenge

Published

5 days ago

October 4, 2026

Trends Admin

Teni Calls Out Tiwa Savage for Boxing Fight, Gets Bold Response

‘Pick A Date’ — Tiwa Savage Accepts Teni’s Boxing Challenge

Nigerian music stars Tiwa Savage and Teni have sparked excitement online after exchanging a playful boxing challenge, with Tiwa responding to Teni’s call-out by telling her to “Pick a date.”

The exchange began after Teni challenged Tiwa Savage to a boxing bout in a social media video while discussing the wealth and lifestyles of some Nigerian entertainers.

Teni jokingly called out Tiwa and proposed a multi-billion-naira purse for the potential showdown, saying she was ready to step into the ring with the award-winning singer.

At one point, Teni mentioned ₦1.5 billion while discussing the proposed fight and joking about whether the money could be enough to purchase a Bugatti. She also made another reference to ₦3 billion in a subsequent social media post, leading to differing reports about the amount attached to the challenge.

Teni further joked that she would defeat Tiwa in the ring before performing Tiwa’s hit song “My Darling” for her afterwards.

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Tiwa responded to the challenge in the comments section with three words: “Pick a date.”

The brief response quickly went viral, with fans interpreting it as Tiwa accepting the proposed Teni vs Tiwa Savage boxing match.

However, there is currently no official confirmation that the bout has been organised. No fight date, venue, promoter, contract, rules or official purse has been announced by either artiste or a recognised boxing promoter.

The reported financial figures should therefore not be treated as an agreed fight purse. They originated from Teni’s playful social media challenge rather than an announced professional boxing deal.

The exchange comes at a time when celebrity boxing in Nigeria is attracting growing public attention, with entertainers and reality TV personalities increasingly participating in exhibition bouts.

Recent events have featured celebrities including Phyna, Nkechi Blessing, Carter Efe and Speed Darlington, helping to generate interest in entertainment-driven boxing events.

Phyna recently defeated actress Nkechi Blessing by knockout in a celebrity boxing event in Lagos organised under the Chaos in the Ring series.

The growing popularity of such events has created a new crossover between Nigeria’s entertainment and boxing industries, with celebrity rivalries increasingly being turned into sporting spectacles.

For now, however, the proposed Teni and Tiwa Savage boxing bout remains a social media challenge. Tiwa’s “Pick a date” response has nevertheless left fans waiting to see whether the playful exchange will eventually turn into an actual celebrity boxing event.

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Entertainment

“Sometimes, I Wonder Why I Married My Husband” — Omotola

Published

5 days ago

October 4, 2026

Trends Admin

Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Captain Matthew Ekeinde

“Sometimes, I Wonder Why I Married My Husband” — Omotola

Veteran Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has opened up about the realities of her 30-year marriage, admitting that there are moments when she wonders why she chose her husband, Captain Matthew Ekeinde.

The actress made the disclosure during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, where she discussed love, marriage, friendship and the challenges involved in sustaining a long-term relationship.

Omotola explained that marriage does not mean feeling romantic love for one’s partner every single day, adding that her husband understands the different emotions that can arise in a long-term relationship.

“My husband knows that I don’t love him all the time,” she said.

The actress also spoke candidly about moments when she notices other attractive men and jokingly questions her choice of husband.

“There are days that I’d see fantabulous guys, and I’d be like, I picked this one over you?” she said.

However, Omotola stressed that such moments do not mean that her marriage is troubled. Instead, she described her relationship with Matthew as a partnership built on commitment, understanding and the freedom for both individuals to remain themselves.

“Our marriage is not that serious. We’re partners,” she said.

The actress said she and her husband have also learned to acknowledge their imperfections instead of pretending that their relationship is always perfect.

According to her, open communication and honesty have helped them navigate disagreements and the changing emotions that come with a long-term marriage.

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Omotola has previously maintained that divorce is not an option for her, while also acknowledging that every couple has to make decisions based on their individual circumstances.

She and Matthew married on March 23, 1996, and marked their 30th wedding anniversary in March 2026.

The couple have four children and have remained together through Omotola’s successful acting career and Matthew’s career as an airline pilot.

The actress has previously credited her husband’s selflessness, trust and willingness to support her career among the factors that have helped sustain their relationship.

Her latest comments have generated conversations about the realities of long-term relationships, particularly the distinction between romantic feelings and the commitment required to maintain a marriage over several decades.

Omotola’s remarks suggest that, for her, a lasting marriage is not necessarily about experiencing intense romantic feelings every day but about choosing partnership, communication and commitment even when emotions fluctuate.