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CHARLY BOY Opens Up
In the last one week or thereabouts, the nation has been embroiled in protests and unrest in several parts of the country. Nigerians took to the streets to protest against the economic hardship and hunger in the land. They insist they want an end to what they call bad governance. And a nationwide protest was the only way they could get their voices heard.
The protest, like most protests in Nigeria, started pretty well. But, just as many had feared, and which was why many were against the idea of a protest in the first place, some youths in the northern part of the country seized the opportunity to vandalize government properties, public infrastructure and loot shops and offices belonging to regular people like them. For a protest scheduled to last for about ten whole days, this situation has become a huge source of worry for the leaders or organisers of the protest. It into surprise to many when their lawyer, Ebun Oluonagiruwa, pleaded for the protesters to end the protest in three days and not to extend for ten days as earlier scheduled.
One of the very constant figures behind the agitation for good governance and who also has been left totally miffed by the president’s address to the nation, is the one known as Charly Boy aka Area Fada. He has consistently stood by the youths. Despite the wide age difference, Charly Boy still stands firmly as the voice of the voiceless and remains one of the youths most dependable allies in the struggle. Those who have been following this music icon and irrepressible activist closely for several years now will tell you he has been at the vanguard for good governance for ages. He has been involved in the struggle for close to 48 years running. He, along with other notable activists, have led several major protests in the country. Area Fada is over 70 years of age now, but he is still far from slowing down on his desire to see the birth of a new Nigeria where effective governance exists and the government is indeed held accountable. This is why he has been an integral part of this protest against what they describe as bad governance. And like most of the agitators, he was also unimpressed with the President’s address to the nation.
A couple of hours after the president’s address was read, City People Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) reached out to the Area Fada and got him to share his thoughts about the President’s address and the state of the nation in general. Enjoy excerpts of the interview.
Let us get your reaction to the president’s address to the nation on Sunday, what did you make of it?
It’s empty now, it’s totally empty. It doesn’t address anything. Silence would’ve even be better than what he said. He did not address the issues. He did not address the fact that there were lots of casualities from the protest. He did not call for any investigation into all that has happened. So, I don’t even see the need for him to have done the address in the first place. It is a demonic thing. This has been going on for years, I mean the demons that we’re facing right how, they have been at this game since 1960, but it has just been increasing in intensity with time. They have been consistent in doing the wrong thing, so if you’re fighting an enemy like that, you have to be consistent in your strategies, because you’re up against monsters. These are never people that you can dialogue with, these are not people that you can reason with because they’ve come to a place where they’re comfortable, they do not see the ordinary Nigerians again, it’s all about their empires. That is why when they steal money, they come to Nigeria. They can’t live abroad, they will die a miserable death, so they come to Nigeria and live in Nigeria to ‘flex’ for us, who may be down and out with poverty. It’s a very disturbing greed. It’s an insane greed, because why would you steal money that even your 6th generation cannot finish? What’s the point, and you’re soon going to die? And then you make everyone around you so poverty stricken! If everybody around you is angry, is hungry, is hopeless, then, very soon, you become their target, you become a sitting a duck. Oyinbo people dey say, he who is down need fear no fall. Because Nigerians should expect that within the next three months, things are going to be worse than they are now and I say it with my full chest because these people don’t give a damn about anybody. Can’t you see how they’re laughing at us? Sebi Akpabio say make dem dey protest now, he said he will be eating and watching us from inside his house. So, he is happy chopping and watching while people are dying of hunger, what kind of statement is that? What kind of human being do you think those people are? So, something has to give. This slavery that we find ourselves in, we can’t continue in perpetuity and those who are supposed to protect the poor but who don’t protect the poor, they too, with all the protection that they think they have, will become a sitting duck, that’s all I can say.
But some people are saying that the president said enough to assuage the protesters, he tried to calm down their anger and pleaded that they suspend the protest….
(Cuts in) But did he address any of their concerns? Was one single concern addressed? It’s not just enough to say lets find a way to dialogue. That is what happens when you have a government that nobody believes in, except those people who are paid to talk in a certain way. A government that is full of lies and deceit. A government that will spend billions and trillions on frivolous things for their own personal use, where by they could use that money to elevate the quality of life of the people. And, if you don’t do that, what about the young people? That is a government that is so insensitive. How many people really believe them? They are all bunch of criminals. Whoever is believing what they say it’s at their own risk, but the people who know, know.
Some leaders of the protest are already calling for a halt or supension of the protest apparently because of the wanton destruction of lives and property and are now looking at reconvening again on October 1st, do you support this position?
When the real revolution comes, it will not ring the bell. What I believe that has happened is this, as for this protest, many people don enter the matter, even people wey no get good mind and even from the government side, all of them don enter, so we don’t know which faction is which. There are too many interests. But that does not relegate the fact that there are genuine people who are patriotic, who want to do this not just for themselves but for their children’s future, I believe that. But as usual, its been hijacked by those demonic forces and that is why we have a cacophony of different permutations. I laugh because when that real revolution comes, and like I said, this just a prelude, this is just a dress hearsal. The real one will take us by storm and unfortunately, there will be people caught in the line of fire. But for us to move from where we are to where we want to be, we can’t escape from that ‘blood must flow,’ but my prayer is that, may the blood of the demonic flow more than the blood of the innocent.
I think, sir, that from the government’s perspective, their bone of contention is that this protest is more of a call for anarchy than a call to end bad governance because when you’re saying, ‘Tinubu must go! Tinubu must resign!’, these are calls for a change of government and they are deemed as a treasonable offence under the constitution…
(Cuts in) Sebi at one point they were saying they want to know the sponsors of the protest, they said the leaders should come and write their names, their addresses and everything, okay, but has hunger any address? Has injustice any address? And you can name them. And I did name them. These are the questions. Forget about propaganda, government is known for its propaganda. But, actually, what they’re fighting, what the government is up against, is people’s hopelessness and frustrations. Who will want to go and stay in the streets and be shouting, not knowing whether they are going to return home and not prefer that they have a small job, even if it’s not bringing in much, but its bringing something, at least they can eat. Who would not want to do that? I saw a video of one man, he said he had to come out because he cannot afford to send his only son to school and his son is into IT, so, when you hear such stories, what does it say to you? Because of the promotion of negativity by our leaders, people think its easier or better to do bad but very diffficult to do good and be on the side of the truth. During our own time, goodness was promoted so everybody endeavoured to try to be good. But these days what is being promoted? Evil, wickedness, kidnapping, rituals, that is what has sunk in the mindset of young people. First of all, how did the young people get the idea that education is a scam? Because if you finish your university education, you still don’t have a job. It doesn’t guarantee you anything and it shouldn’t be so. And what leadership has succeeded in doing was to bastardise education so the people can remain ignorant.
My brother, sometimes it can be so depressing talking about Nigeria, especially for those of us that have been in the struggle for so long. This is my 48th year in social re-engineering because I have mad love for young people. I have been privileged to meet a lot of young people that I have learnt a lot from. And hence I say the salvation of this country lies in the hands of its exceptional people, the young people. I refuse to believe that all the youths in Nigeria are all rogues, it’s not possible. But I know that even the few that we question their character will feel, is this a country where doing good is rewarded? No. So, you can see the mindset of the young people. And who are they looking up to, it’s the elders and the leadership. The elders are not showing good example nor have the leadership. So, just like I said, if you promote evil, that’s what will perpetuate all around.
But are you worried about the fact that the protest has become more violent than peaceful, with a lot of looting, destruction of properties and loss of lives recorded already?
Of course, I am worried. Every right thinking Nigerian should be worried. But you see, a lot of forces have come into play in the protest. The North, where things have gone really bad the most, a lot of the northerners feel cut out from good governance. There’s a lot going on in that northern region that people don’t even know about. There are some forces behind all that’s happening right now in that region. There’s so much accumulated anger in that part of the country and what you’re seeing now is an explosion of that anger. Combined with the powerful forces at play, these things have been there all this wile, all bottled up. And let’s not deceive ourselves, the political parties too have their own organised groups who infiltrate the protest. We know all about that one. Until something is done quickly, that region will continue to explode. And like I said, this may not be the start of the revolution we’re talking about, but its something that has shaken the government. Right now, the entire country has been soaked literally with petrol and it will only take one small thing to ignite the entire country. What is happening to the country right now is demonic. Our situation in this country no longer requires prayers, it is a demonic thing orchestrated by a very few powerful people who think they own this country and can do whatever they want.
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