In this interview conducted in pidgin English with Area Fada Charles Oputa (Charly Boy) in his palatial Ikoyi residence by Charles Okogene and Uzo Chikere of Beatsonit, he spoke about his first album, life in the village and his many disagreements with his father, the late justice Chukwudifu Oputa, on his return from America.
Happy reading…
My late friend Mr. Ogbanna Amadi once told me that your first album was Obodogiriri. Is that true?
That is true. Na true na, music was a hobby something wey I bi wan arrange….because my plan was to look for fame as I was just sick and tired of been told what to do, you know the story na , my father. Na so we dey quarrel everyday and I decided to disown him, went to the village (Oguta) and I stayed there. Of course you know life in the village from the Yankee to village straight, na there I stayed for seven years. If nor bi Tina (Onwudiwe), God bless her soul, na there I for dey, I for don peme for village. Wetin happen? Na there I come face to face with poverty na. Na there I see ‘achikiribom’, na there I learn to chop groundnut with bread. After two years for village I come tell my wife say hunger go kill you o, na that time she come borrow brain come go back. But you suppose know this story, which one bi eh….
What of your children?
That time na, the big once wey I never know how to settle ….you no go talk of children wey you, you yourself never settle. Where they in the village with you?
They cannot be in the village na and besides, that time they never born Dianne kids. Na just my first son. Those other ones they no dey live with me because I never know whether them be my children. Everybody answer him name. As I dey villa, I was an apprentice musician, trying to see how the music thing go be, after all, na me talk say I wan to be a musician, not to be playing music o but using the art to ….
To be an entertainer ….
Yes.You know my first degree na journalism na. So staying in the village and as I wan become musician, make I take roll call of all the great people there weda them go find me something; na so I come record Obodogiri. Some find me something, others dey laff me, Some say the guy wey go America no fit achieve anything. Weda dem depot am sef. Na so I take start with Obodogirigiri o.
Is it also true that Dede Mbabiaku did his NYSC under you?
Yes na, Dede was in the village with me for one and half years, Majek work for me too and you know who brought Majek to me in Oguta when he wan make up with me? Na my papa na. One day he come send message to me, he think say I go beg am money because I never talk to them like two years then. He come say ‘what can he do for me’ and I said there is one guy called Majek bring him for me. Bring him to me.
So you know Majek before Send Down the Rain?
Yes na.
What actually moved you to music when you studied communication?
Like I said, I wanted to pepper my father …I just wanted to be myself. I was tired of been told what to do, how to do it and who I should relate with. One morning my father just summoned me to his room in Owerri when he was Imo State Chief Judge that was before they made him Supreme Court judge and began his usual qurrel with me as to what I should do and not do. He wanted me to do doctorate degree and I told him I was tired…I only stayed in America for four years….yes, four years I no really like the place, no place like Naija only say politicians wan spoil am for us and we no go gree with them. Na for Owerri we dey when he summoned me that morning from my boys’ quatre and say I should go to Port Harcourt to start work with one oil company or so, he gave me one paper containing where I suppose go to and who to ask for but I shock am when I say I no wan work for anybody or in any organisation. And he asked me why and I told him again say I no plan to work that I wan work for myself. And he asked again wetin I wan do? The only thing wey comot my mouth be say I wan be a musician. The man was shocked and he then said ‘keep throwing your life away’, signed and walked away. But really I no plan the response I give am because really I no no wetin I wan do but I no say I no wan do office work. Then I no no what I will do, but I no what I will not do and one of such is to work for somebody or organisation. Because I been dey hate the man that time. He was like a bully.
But what was the position of your mother in all of this because I know you were close to her?
Yes, we were close but she take style dey support her husband and I know that. She go dey tell am ‘make we sofri handle this pikin’ and when she come to me, she go say ‘no dey talk to your papa like that.’ You see diplomacy at work! The day I packed my things say I dey go village everybody surprise. My mama ask me wetin you wan go do for village and I told her, ‘if I reach I go no’. Charlie my friend, na so I go village and that time, the first person when help me na Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu….…
To be continued
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