Charly Boy at 75: “I Have No Regrets Walking My Own Path”

Veteran entertainer and outspoken activist Charles Oputa, famously known as Charly Boy, has reflected on his journey through life as he marked his 75th birthday. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, the cultural icon declared that he has no regrets about the unconventional choices he made.

Originally set on the path to priesthood, Charly Boy revealed he left the seminary after just one year, driven by a desire to live life on his own terms. Rather than follow in the footsteps of his father, the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, who was a respected Supreme Court judge, he chose music, activism, and the streets.

“I only wanted to break out of my father’s shadow. I have no regret whatsoever, as life’s experience have built me into a stronger and fulfilled man,” he said.

He recounted rejecting a lucrative job opportunity at Mobil Oil and Gas, which his father had arranged for him after returning from the U.S., a decision that created a lasting rift between them.

Despite the fallout, Charly Boy said he never doubted his choices. His life, though filled with rebellion and personal battles, taught him valuable lessons.

“Even if there was something bad that happened, there was a lesson to learn from it,” he noted.

Reflecting on his upbringing, he said,
“I came from a very good home; my father wasn’t a rich man at all, though he wasn’t a poor man also. He just lived according to his means, on his salary. I thank God for the upbringing; I thank God for all the moral codes that were handed down by my father to me.”

He added,
“They made me to understand the essence of life itself. I am not a money man, I am not all about money; I am simple, humble, and I am contented above everything. These are the qualities handed down by my father.”

Charly Boy also revealed that he’s preparing to release his memoir titled “999”, a candid chronicle of his life that includes personal struggles, family conflicts, and his four marriages—all before the age of 36.

Celebrating his birthday quietly, Charly Boy said:
“Today is my birthday and I just thank God that he still kept me alive. I will say that I have no regret looking back at my journey. I am spending my birthday on my bed, I am not going anywhere. No party, but taking phone calls and all the messages that are coming, and just chilling.”

True to his reputation as a nonconformist, Charly Boy’s 75th birthday was a quiet moment of gratitude and reflection rather than fanfare—solidifying his legacy as one of Nigeria’s boldest voices for personal freedom and social justice.