Veteran entertainer and human rights activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has knocked 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, aka Olamide Badoo.
Opuate, who also goes by the name "Area Fada" and is the leader of the movement "Our Mumu Don Do," said that the government was acting out of fear and political insecurity. The renaming of the bus stop was announced by Kolade David, the council chairman whose term came to an end on Friday.
He said that the move was part of an effort to honor people who have made Bariga proud and improved Nigeria's global image through their work and contributions.
“As an administration, we took our time to reflect on a number of our people who, through their respective God-given talents and skills, have put our local council's name on the global map. We also took our time to reflect on prominent people in our nation, our beloved state, and our local council who have greatly contributed to the development of our nation and our state.
In honor of the legacy, we will officially rename streets today. Olamide Adedeji Badoo Street will now be the name of Ajidagan Street. That indicates that the Charly Boy Bus Stop will no longer exist and will instead be known as Badoo Bus Stop,” David stated.
Oputa, however, issued a statement in response to the development on his X (previously known as Twitter) handle, stating that the renaming was not only symbolic but also a deliberate attempt to erase his decades of activism and social defiance.
Charly Boy, Chukwudifu Oputa's son, said that changing the name of the bus stop would not change his legacy of fighting for the oppressed and speaking truth to power. A legacy cannot be renamed, but a place can be.
The signboard can be replaced, but the spirit cannot be destroyed. Additionally, a voice that has shaken your tables for decades cannot be silenced! "Fear is at the root of this, not just a bus stop. the fear of a boy who would not bow. apprehension about a man who stood up to oppressors. apprehension about a man who did not beg the system to accept him. So, what do timid individuals do?
They change the name like e go wash away their shame,” he said.
Charly Boy insisted that the people gave the bus stop its name naturally and not through political favoritism. “Bariga, Gbagada, and all of Lagos are aware of the truth: the Charly Boy Bus Stop's name was given by the people, the same people that "Fada" fought for, walked with, and empowered. It was not given by politicians.
"They may alter the sign or pretend not to remember, but let me remind them that "Area Fada" will not be completed. To be accepted, he didn't have to sing sweet songs. To beg titles, he did not need to wear "agbada." He represents a trend.
He is a household name. He is a red flag. He went on to say, "So, to all the small minds and timid hearts, you may change the name, but you will never kill the legacy." He said that the government's action did not bother him.
He insisted that his legacy was built by people, not politicians, and could not be erased by changing his name. The activist stated, "This name, Charly Boy, is written boldly in the streets of Bariga into the history of Nigeria." ingrained in the minds of those who continue to dare to challenge authority. Legacy is not written on a sign; rather, it can be found in the hearts you changed, the voices you raised, and the fear you instilled in depraved souls.
So, change the name, but keep in mind that you can't change the truth. Fire cannot be put out. "Area Fada" does not end. Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist, also spoke out against the change, describing it as "vindictive, haphazard, and laced with ethnic undertones." “I strongly condemn the cynical renaming of the Charly Boy Bus Stop—an iconic landmark tied to decades of creative resistance and people-powered culture in Nigeria,” Sowore stated in a statement that was made available to Sunday.
This is more than just a petty act; it is also a spiteful rewriting of history with the intention of suppressing opposition and discrediting voices that have long opposed authoritarianism. When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, stated that the council chairman acted in accordance with the law and that the state was not accountable for naming or renaming streets.
The local government is in charge of street naming. That is not the duty of the state government. Street names can be changed by local governments thanks to the law. Omotosho stated, "The state government does not have the authority to regulate that."