Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has recounted how his perception of Nigerian entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlie Boy, changed after witnessing the care he gave his late father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Obasanjo made the disclosure during an interview with media personality Bae U, published on Saturday, while reflecting on his relationship with the controversial entertainer and explaining why he had often referred to him as “Jaga Jaga.”

Asked about the description, the former President initially portrayed Charlie Boy as someone whose public persona had left him with little understanding of the entertainer.

“Well, Charlie Boy is so jaga jaga that I don’t know anything about him,” Obasanjo said.

However, he said his respect for Charlie Boy’s late father, Justice Oputa, was considerable.

Obasanjo described the former Supreme Court Justice as a great Nigerian and said he wished Charlie Boy had inherited more of his father’s characteristics.

“He has a good father, Justice Oputa. Oh, what a great man. I wish Charlie Boy had resembled him,” he said.

The former President said his attitude towards Charlie Boy began to change after he visited Justice Oputa at a residence he later discovered belonged to the entertainer.

Read also: Three Nigerians among 16 charged in US over alleged election-related offences

Obasanjo said what initially caught his attention was a motorcycle parked outside the house, whose appearance he found unusual.

“When I first came to know Charlie Boy, I had no iota of regard or respect for him.

“But when I went to visit Justice and it was in Charlie Boy’s house. I didn’t know it was in Charlie Boy’s house.

“So the first thing that put me off in that house, I saw a motorcycle in front of the house. The way the motorcycle was dressed and all that, I said, ‘What is this?’

“And then I went inside the house. I saw how Justice was being taken care of and by who? Charlie Boy.

“Ah, so I started changing my mind about Charlie Boy and until Justice Oputa died, Charlie Boy took perfect care of him, looked after him and he really behaved like a good child would give to his father.”

According to Obasanjo, Charlie Boy’s commitment to caring for his parents did not end with his father.

He said the entertainer also looked after his mother, whom he remembered as a woman with a strong sense of humour.

“He didn’t stop there. He did the same to his mother. And I used to frequently visit the mother, who was a great humorous woman.

“Charlie Boy took care of her. Then I started changing my mind. I changed my mind about him,” he said.

The former President said Charlie Boy later explained that his unconventional appearance and behaviour were not merely for publicity but also formed part of how he made a living.

Obasanjo said the explanation further influenced his perception of the entertainer, whom he came to regard as an intelligent person.

“Then one day I asked him, I said, ‘Look, Charlie Boy, what is all this?’

“You said that Jaga Jaga, all those Jaga Jaga things that I see, is to make chop-chop and it’s an intelligent boy, that Charlie Boy, all Jaga Jaga, because you cannot do Jaga Jaga to earn a living without being intelligent,” he said.

Obasanjo said his experiences with Charlie Boy eventually led him to develop some affection for him, although he maintained that it was limited.

“So now I like him a bit, not too much,” he said.

The post Obasanjo recalls Charlie Boy’s care for father, says ‘I wish he had resembled him’ appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.