Charly Boy had 7 kids from away matches? Find out more in interview with his wife, Diane Oputa
Social media titan Babalola Osogbiye dug out the dead bonesin an interview with wife of the latest Marriage counselor “Charly Boy”. An enlighteninginterview that reveals the ups and the downs of the marriage life of the coupleand how they have been able to pull through 38 years without being a subject ofmedia. Words are not enough to give details of the interview, readmore after the cut...
She is married to one of Nigerians most controversial iconicpersonalities. The "weird" one Charly Boy has fought for the rightsof the average Nigerian. He has on several occasions been tortured by theNigerian police and the military for standing up to bad leadership or unfairtreatment of the impoverished masses. His television series, The CharlyBoy Show was one of the most watched programmes for a very long time. He’san accomplished singer/songwriter, television presenter, publisher,producer and talent judge.
The American trained mass communication masters degreeholder, who decided in his own words, to punish his parents by creating thelarger than life image. A punk, a boy, an AreaFada, and lately a Jesus lover.He has been married three times before, his present marriage is the 4th andmaybe the last, kissed Denrele Edun, has a pet python was photographednaked. That pretty much sums it up, from a shallow point of view. One personwho knows this enigma would be his wife of 38yrs the best person to giveintimate account. Lady Diane Oputa.
38yrs SEEMS LIKE FOREVER IN COMPARISON TO THELIFE SPAN OF THE AVERAGE CELEBRITY MARRIAGE. HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED ?
I have been able to manage very well because of the man Igot married to. Charles is a strong family man, a decent gentleman who puts hisfamily first before anything else. He has been a wonderful husband, a goodfather and a wonderful son to his parents. Charles is the husband every womandreams about. He is sensitive, he listens, the first to apologize if he iswrong. I love his never say die spirit. I think we were ordained by God tomarry each other because we both want the same thing, we are both committed toour marriage. Like they say, it takes two to tango. However our marriage hasnot been a bed of roses, we have our issues and challenges, but because we arebest of friends, because we are loyal to our commitment we always resolvewhatever issue that comes up, to move forward. We don't have a perfectmarriage, no such thing in this world, but we have a friendship that hasendured through time. It has been a long journey and we have had upsand downs within the 38years that we have been together. But we are happytogether. A lot of couples haven't got that far-we are really privileged. Ithank God.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARD PART OF YOUR UNION? , THETHINGS THAT MADE YOU MAD.
In the beginning it was the women, my gosh! Womeneverywhere. Charles is a charmer. He had 7kids from his away matches and thewomen he married that didn't work out, before we got married. His stubbornnesswas sometimes obnoxious. During his hay days as a performer, his acts weresometimes so overboard that I will refuse doing his background vocals and wealways argued/quarreled about that. But as the years rolled by I found ways ofcalming him down, and curing my high blood pressure. I later found outthat the women were more for his hypes and pons, like the charly’s virgins. Onething I knew from the beginning was that my husband always wanted to be a familyman, after all he grew up seeing both parents together for sixty somethingyears before papa passed on. Much later the women thing totally fizzled out. Inthe beginning I wasn't too sure how to deal with all his children from deferentwomen, but trust charles he knows how to put his family together. That's how Iovernight became a mother of 9 children plus my last three. The only thing thathe still does that pisses me off till tomorrow is his silence, when he is angryabout something. He will lock himself in his room and may not talk to me fordays. I can't deal with that because we talk all the time our communication ison point. He always says he doesn't want to say the wrong things when he isangry. Otherwise, Charles is the best thing to happen to me and I thank God forthat.
WHY DO YOU THINK CELEBRITIES MARRIAGES HAVESHORT LIFE SPAN?
Celebs marriages are not different from any other marriage,however, the bottom-line is that both parties have to know what they want fromthe start. For most young people it's about the packaging and never thecontent. Marriage is about two people who want to stay married no matter theweather, if one person wants it more than the other it won't work. Theingredients for a fairly decent marriage, will be mutual respect, goodcommunication between the couples and good friendship. Thank God that todaywhat we have most, is old fashion friendship. My husband is not your typical Nigerianperson, above all he listens and he is very sensitive to how I am feeling as myfriend and it's all mutual.
HAS YOUR TRUST FOR HIM EVER WOBBLED?
Yes, in the beginning the first maybe 8yrs, too many dramathat I was dealing with. It wasn't easy at all but I also matured along theway. I began to see things for what they really are not for what it lookedlike. Experience has thought me how to separate the boy Charly from my man Charles.Charly is an incorrigible botton pusher and that will never stop, but my manCharles is also an incorrigible introvert and that's who I married. A few timeshe has reported himself to me and he is not good at lying. BEING FULFILLED INMARRIAGE IS GUARANTEED WHEN YOUR SPOUSE IS SUPPORTIVE, UNDERSTANDING ANDSENSITIVE TO YOUR FEELINGS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHEN HE IS ALWAYS LOOKING FORCREATIVE WAYS TO KEEP THE FIRE BURNING.
YOUR HUSBAND IS NOW A MARRIAGE COUNSELOR OFSORT, HOW DOES HE COPE GIVING UP HIS PERSONAL NUMBER TO FANS WHO HAVE MARRIAGEPROBLEMS?
Yea, that's Charlyboy for you, who else would give theirpersonal number on air. Do you know how many calls he receives per minute? Hehowever has been doing all of that for a very long time, it's only recently hewent ballistic with that. I guess for him, he wants to always feel useful,always wanting to teach, to share, to give hope to the hopeless, that'scharlyboys story, aside the fact that he likes to confuse people with hisantics. Am I surprised? no. I won't be surprised if tomorrow he opens a church.Charles has always been spiritual ever since I met him, very deep. That's whyfor people who meet him one on one, they are so charmed because he is nothinglike charlyboy puts out. And it takes intelligence and discipline to know theboundaries. He has counselled and inspired millions of nigerian youths, to bethemselves, be focused and never to let anyone kill their dream. I love him forthe many lives he has touched and still touching, for all who worked with him,they too can testify he added value to their lives. That's who he is.
IT’S ALMOST GOING TO 4DECADES OF MARRIAGE WHATKEEPS THE FIRE BURNING?
Hummm!!!! Charly can be un unrepentant romantic when hewants to be. Though he hasn't pulled any stunt to sweep me off my feetrecently, but he can be full of surprises. The last time, he asked me to escorthim to the airport to receive a certain business partner from the carribean.Before I knew what was happening, I was on my way to the Bahamas, sweden andDubai, with nothing but my purse. He knows I love romance and from time to timehe figures ways to sweep me off my feet. That's why we try to keep it asyouthful and as fresh as we can. We really work at it. It's not easy but we aredetermined. Charles woos me with his outlandish and elaborate stunts, and Ilike it. I always look forward to my birthdays. We are like two buddies.
RESENT REPORT SAYS HE HAS BECOME MORE RELIGIOUSAND HAS FINALLY BECOME BORN AGAIN?
Charles has always been spiritual, has always given himselfto service. He has always been an inspiration to millions of frustratednigerian youths. His life style has made thousands chase their own dreams andnever gave up on theirselves. Yes, people where not too sure what to make ofhim, because he kept confusing people who couldn't see the humour or the sensein how he was putting out. He has always been about how he can add value to hisenvironment and the people he meets. He may not have been a regular church goerbut was a Christian by his actions. I guess the difference now is that thepress seems to be reporting more of his works and the value he promotes thanall the stunts he pulls to keep the people guessing. But yes he is more calmernow, more at peace now and more spiritual. Like they say, there is a time andseason for everything. He is been there done that and seen that, what else canbe new for him so I guess is Jesus time from here on and that's all the betterfor him. He is doing what God wants him to do.
