Veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has condemned the decision by the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State to rename the popular “Charly Boy Bus Stop” after music star Olamide Adedeji, aka Olamide Badoo.
The renaming was announced by outgoing council chairman Kolade David, who said the move was part of efforts to honour individuals from Bariga who have positively projected the area and Nigeria on the global stage.
David added that Ajidagan Street would now be known as Olamide Adedeji Badoo Street, noting that this change would affect the well-known Charly Boy Bus Stop, which would now be called Badoo Bus Stop.
Reacting via a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Charly Boy, also known as “Area Fada” and founder of the Our Mumu Don Do movement, accused the local authorities of attempting to erase his legacy out of political fear and insecurity.
“You can rename a place, but you can’t rename a legacy. 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,” he wrote.
Describing the move as politically motivated, Charly Boy said the decision was not simply about a name change, but a symbolic effort to erase a legacy of activism and resistance.
“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 someone who didn’t beg the system for acceptance.”
He emphasized that the bus stop’s name came from the people, not from politicians.
“Bariga, Gbagada, the entire Lagos knows the truth — that the name ‘Charly Boy Bus Stop’ was never a gift from politicians. It was named by the people — the same people ‘Fada’ stood with, marched with, and inspired,” he said. “They may change the signboard, but they can’t kill the spirit or erase the legacy.”
He added, “This name, Charly Boy, is carved into Nigeria’s history, etched into the streets of Bariga and in the hearts of those who dared to question authority. Legacy isn’t on a signboard — it’s in the people whose lives you touched.”
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore also condemned the council’s decision, describing it as “vindictive, haphazard, and laced with ethnic undertones.”
In a statement to Sunday reporters, Sowore said, “I strongly condemn the cynical renaming of Charly Boy Bus Stop — an iconic landmark rooted in decades of creative resistance. This act is not just petty; it is a deliberate attempt to silence dissent and whitewash the contributions of those who have long challenged authoritarian rule.”
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When contacted for clarification, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, said the state government had no involvement in the decision, as naming or renaming streets falls under the jurisdiction of local governments.
“Street naming is a local government matter. The state government does not have the authority to regulate that,” Omotosho stated.
