Renaming of National Arts Theatre after Prof Wole Soyinka Sparks Backlash from Charly Boy
Renowned Nigerian singer and social activist, Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy, has sparked a controversy by announcing that he will no longer show respect to the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka. This comes after the Nigerian government renamed the National Arts Theatre in Lagos after Soyinka, a renowned poet and playwright.
In a recent social media post, Charly Boy, a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu, expressed his discontent with the decision, saying that he can no longer accord respect to Soyinka. He cited the president’s decision to rename the National Arts Theatre in honor of Soyinka as the reason for his change of heart.
According to a report by Media Talk Africa, President Tinubu wrote a tribute to celebrate Soyinka’s 90th birthday, in which he announced the renaming of the facility. Reacting to the move, Charly Boy posted on his official X handle, stating that "the mighty have fallen, for beans."
Charly Boy went on to write a scathing commentary on Soyinka, stating that he is "no longer worthy of respect" after the renaming of the theatre. He also referenced a conversation with a late friend, Jimmyjohnson, in the 1990s, in which the latter made disparaging remarks about Soyinka. Charly Boy used this anecdote to illustrate the idea that even those who were once highly regarded can fall from grace.
This development has sparked heated discussions on social media, with many users expressing their opinions on the matter.
