Veteran musician and activist Charly Boy has described the renaming of Charly Boy Bus Stop in Lagos as “silly” and “petty,” accusing the authorities of trying to erase his legacy.
Over the weekend, the council chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) announced that the popular bus stop, Charly Boy, would now be known as Olamide Baddo Bus Stop, in honour of the superstar rapper and Bariga native.
The chairman, Kolade David, said:
As an administration, we took our time to reflect on a number of our people who have put the name of our local council out on the global map through their respective God-given talents and craft, as well as eminent personalities in our nation and our beloved state and local council who have contributed immensely to the development of our nation and our state. Today, we will be officially renaming streets in honour of the legacies.
But Charly Boy wasn’t buying the justification. Taking to X, he slammed the change, saying, “You can replace the signboard, but you can’t erase the spirit. And you definitely can’t silence a voice that shook your tables for decades!”
“This is not just about a bus stop; this is about fear. Fear of a boy who refused to bow. Fear of a man who challenged the oppressors. Fear of a man who didn’t beg the system to be accepted. So, what do timid people do? They change the name like e go wash away their shame,” he said.
In a follow-up interview with News Central, Charly Boy reiterated his position that the name change wasn’t about public interest, but about political discomfort.
The fact that my bus stop was renamed is neither here nor there. Whatever we can do to help Nigerians, this is what it is about.
Concluding his message, he stressed that the name change can never replace his impact and legacy over the years.
I just believe that was a little bit silly, a little bit petty because if it is about talking about what one has done for that community, go and verify, you can’t touch my records. You can rename a place, but you can’t rename a legacy.
