In this interview conducted in pidgin English with Area Fada Charles Oputa (Charly Boy), by Charles Okogene. he spoke about his first album, life in the village and his many disagreements with his faher, the late justice Chukwudifu Oputa, on his return from America.
Happy reading…
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, na so I go village and that time, the first person when help me na Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu….
That time he dey come visit my father; may be he dey look for something from my father I no no or my father dey complain give am , I no no. One day the man come ask me say I no go go take the work dem find for me? Na so I tell am say I no wan work and he ask me wetin I wan do and I come tell am say I wan play music. And asked how? I come tell am say when I arrange myself I go go buy instruments and open studio. Music don start. And he said make I go buy am na and I replied him say I never get the money. He said like how much? I come tell am say $10,000 go do, na so the man come give me $25,000. So I no waste time I go buy everything and come back come set up the studio . And my people no no o. Na so I set up the studio first in Owerri. Sunny Odogwu, MKO Abiola dem came later when I don dey Lagos and na Tyna Onwudiwe bring me come Lagos o …
How?
After Obodogirigiri, I come release Nwata Miss. All na for inside that my studio o with Jake Solo. Jake Solo was coming to my studio when he get the accident wey kill am for Ihiala. Na nwata miss we dey do together then. Na one South African guy and me do Obodogirigiri in that my okpokrija studio. That time if you see other studios you go no say my own na okpokirija. I come broke eh, hunger nearly finish me but my pride no let me seek for help. So one day, I come gather small money come go Lagos make I go Tabansi Records make I see weda dem go release the record; from Premier Music everybody reject me. They kept saying see as he bi, you bi man or woman. Na that time Charly Boy concept start. I was doing it before Boy George. I go stand for hot sun because I no get moto and my makeup go dey melt. Na him after Premier Music, Sony Music bounce me I come go Tabansi, Tabansi bounce me too. Dem say I no sabi sing. As I commot Tabansi, my money don low. I no no where I go sleep. My parents where in Ikoyi o but I no wan go there. Na so I dey for road one day dey think my life na so I come see one fine gal, fear no let me talk to if nor bi she wey come talk to me. When you no get money, no confidence. Na so she carry me go her house. That time she dey live for Surulere. You no that my house for Gbagada, Tyna paid two years rent. She bi don dey tell me say for this thing wey I dey do to work, I must come Lagos. One day she come come village come tell me say some people are interested in my work. That time I don begin do 1990. She say people like am say I dey sound like Fela. Na so she come turn my brain finish. Na so she take me go meet Tom Sesyner, the then Premier Music MD. This was after Chris Ajilo them don bunce me o. That time frustration don hold me but Tyna just dey give me confidence; if nor bi that girl, me and you for no siddon like this.
…To be continued
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