Veteran entertainer cum human rights activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has slammed the Bariga Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, for renaming the popular Charly Boy Bus Stop in Bariga after renowned hip-hop artist, Olamide Adedeji, better known as Olamide Badoo.
Naijaonpoint reports that the council chairman, Kolade David, whose tenure ended on Friday, announced the renaming of the bus stop, stating that the move was part of efforts to honour individuals who have brought pride to Bariga and contributed to Nigeria’s global image through their craft and contributions.
Reacting to the development, Charly Boy, in a post via 𝕏, accused the government of acting out of fear and political insecurity, stressing that the renaming was not merely symbolic, but a calculated attempt to erase his decades of activism and social defiance.
Charly Boy emphasised that renaming the bus stop would not change his legacy of speaking truth to power and fighting for the oppressed.
According to the entertainer, the bus stop earned its name organically from the people, not from political patronage, adding that he remained unperturbed by the government’s action.
He said, “You can rename a place, but you can’t rename a legacy. You can replace the signboard, but you can’t erase the spirit. And you definitely can’t silence a voice that shook your tables for decades!
“This is not just about a bus stop; this is about fear. Fear of a boy who refused to bow. Fear of a man who challenged the oppressors. Fear of a man who didn’t beg the system to be accepted.
“So, what do timid people do? They change the name like e go wash away their shame.
“Bariga, Gbagada, the entire Lagos knows the truth, that the name Charly Boy Bus Stop was not given by politicians, it was named by the people, the same people ‘Fada’ fought for, walked with, and empowered.
“They may change the signboard, they may pretend not to remember, but let me remind them ‘Area Fada’ no dey finish. He didn’t need to sing sweet songs to be accepted. He didn’t need to wear ‘agbada’ to beg for titles. He is a movement. He is an institution. He is a warning.
“So, to all the small minds and timid hearts, you may change the name, but you will never kill the legacy.
“This name, Charly Boy is carved into the history of Nigeria, written boldly in the streets of Bariga. Etched into the minds of those who still dare to question authority. Legacy isn’t on a signboard, it is in the hearts you changed, the voices you awakened, and the fear you planted in corrupt souls.
“So, go ahead, change the name, but remember you can’t change the truth. You can’t erase fire. ‘Area Fada’ no dey finish.”