Charly Boy Criticizes Renaming of Lagos Bus Stop, Sparks Controversy
Veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has stirred controversy by declaring that Lagos is a no man’s land following the renaming of a popular bus stop in the Bariga area of Lagos State.
The Bariga Local Council Development Area recently changed the name of the bus stop — previously named after Charly Boy — to ‘Olamide Baddo’, in honor of celebrated hip-hop star Olamide Adedeji.
In reaction, Charly Boy condemned the decision and likened Lagos to New York City, asserting that the cosmopolitan nature of the city makes it a land that belongs to no one ethnic group.
Lere Olayinka Fires Back: “Contest for Oba of Lagos If It’s No Man’s Land”
Responding to Charly Boy’s remarks, Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, issued a scathing rebuttal.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Olayinka challenged Charly Boy to contest for traditional leadership roles in Lagos if he truly believes the state is a no man’s land.
“Ndi Lagos is no man’s land? When next the seat of Oba of Lagos becomes vacant after the present Oba must have lived long enough, go and contest for it,” he wrote.
He went further to mockingly suggest Charly Boy also contest the titles of other Yoruba monarchs, such as the Osolo of Isolo, Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Olu of Mushin, Oniru, Ojora, Elegushi, and many more.
“Sebi all these Traditional Titles are in your own language, not Yoruba,” Olayinka added sarcastically.
Renaming Sparks Debate on Ownership and Identity in Lagos
The renaming of the bus stop and the statements that followed have reignited long-standing debates about ownership, migration, and cultural identity in Lagos, a city known for its diversity but rooted in deep Yoruba traditions.
While some Nigerians support Charly Boy’s sentiment about Lagos being open and inclusive, others, like Olayinka, view such comments as a dismissal of indigenous heritage and traditional authority.
The war of words underscores the sensitivity surrounding identity politics in one of Africa’s most populous and ethnically diverse cities.
