Charly Boy: I’ve never taken alcohol

Charles Oputa, also known as Charly Boy or Area Fada, is a renaissance man. Not a few would regard him as a maverick, an avant garde artiste and entertainer. His talents cut across journalism, singing, music production, writing and social activism.

The author of 999, a book about his life, Charly Boy is taking the book around the world, at the same time promoting his new health initiative for Nigerian men aimed at assisting those suffering from prostate cancer, diabetes, as well as having mental health challenges.

You recently did a public presentation of your new memoir, 999. Did the presentation meet your expectations?

I cancelled my fears, because I thought people were going to be bounced. You know it’s a small hall, which wasn’t meant to seat more than 100 people. The guests were mostly from the guest list of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and a few of my relatives. So when I saw a few empty seats, I was better relaxed, because I didn’t want anybody to be bounced for not belonging there. From here, we are going to London. From London, we are going to Germany. From Germany, we will end up in Kenya.

What are you taking the book launch outside the country?

It’s because I feel as many people as possible must read about this book. It is a documentation of my legacy, and I have had a very interesting life that people can learn something from, especially for parents to allow their children to be free and express themselves. These days, you can’t be telling your children what to do and how to behave or the career they should follow. No. That should be something that should come to them naturally.

What makes this book unique? We are in a society where musicians are not given to writing a book as you did. Why did you resort to writing books?

I am not a run-of-the-mill musician in the first place. I am an intellectual. I went to school. I read journalism. I am a communicator. Music was just an afterthought for me. I don’t even see myself as a musician, because I only took to music so I could talk about my frustration with my environment. It would be a disservice for the brand I have built over the years to just say “he is a musician”. I am a whole lot of things. I see myself as a social engineer, not even as an activist, because those who wear the toga of activists in Nigeria, you hardly know when they become one.

You are the son of the legendary Justice Chukwudifu Oputa of the Supreme Court fame. Let’s talk about your latest initiative – the Charly Boy Foundation. Why the focus on men’s health?

I am sure you must have heard my journey. I am a cancer survivor. I went through that for four years, and came out stronger. It is not fatal like that, but early detection is important. This is what we are advocating for men to be serious with their health. Check yourself up regularly, because to undergo a cancer operation will cost almost N25 million, but having a regular check-up, at least once in a year, doesn’t cost much. What we do as a foundation is to pay a maximum of 80 per cent of your bill just to encourage men to be tested.

Our foundation does more than that, however, We handle prostate cancer, mental health, and diabetes. But for now, since we started this journey, we have been concentrating only on prostate cancer.

How do you intend to fund this?

People and institutions have been generous. Banks, like Zenith and UBA, have been helping out. Even private organisations have been generous. That’s how we have been funding the project.

Sustaining this initiative for years would certainly demand a steady flow of funds. Do you have a specific target to generate to sustain this project?

That’s why we are launching my book, 999, a story about my journey; but we are also using it to generate funds for my health initiative.

Is it open for anybody to apply?

Yes, it is open. All you need to do is to visit our foundation website if you think you have a prostate challenge. Depending on your location, we will know where to send you to go and do the check-up, and doctors will read your result and we know what to advise you on what to do.

How common is prostate cancer in Nigeria?

It has become a pandemic. You know how reckless men are now. For a long time, men have borne their pains silently, because “men don’t cry”. Men erroneously believe that’s what shows that they are strong. But all of that is nonsense and rubbish. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I went on national TV and announced that my John Thomas had died (laughs). I am not the one to pretend that I am that strong. I know men are just afraid, because anything that affects their John Thomas, they are scared to say it out. But prostate cancer isn’t something that kills anybody instantly if you do the right thing by checking yourself up. It is said that prevention is better than cure. From as early as 35-40, you will start checking your prostate for early signs.

Why should men be worried?

You should be worried because if your prostate cancer passes stage three or four, you are likely going to die. Men are careless with their health and, because of our poor environment, men patronise cheap drugs across the counter while paying little emphasis to their health. This is why women should join me in convincing their partners to stay healthy. If you look at the trend of what’s happening today, 30 year-old men are already having not only prostate cancer but erectile dysfunction, because they are taking concoctions to impress their women in bed.

But can men perform in bed without taking these concoctions? Are there natural ways they exploit?

Of course, there are natural ways. If you are taking good care of your health, eating well, and exercising moderately, you don’t need any sex enhancer to impress a woman. As I said, men are careless with their health. It would surprise you that this is a black man’s disease – it affects more black men than white men. I don’t know why it’s like that.

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