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Veteran entertainer and activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy or Area Fada, has shared a deeply personal account of how he struggled with depression following the controversy over the renaming of a Lagos bus stop that once bore his name.
The outspoken figure, known for his fearless commentary on social and political issues, admitted that the wave of “pettiness and silliness” that surrounded the decision took a heavy toll on his mental health. In a heartfelt post, Charly Boy revealed that he had to temporarily leave Nigeria to safeguard his wellbeing.
“Life is a bitch, then we die,” he wrote. “After all the silliness and pettiness of the bus stop shenanigans, I decided to take a short break from our ‘potopoto’ environment before Nigeria happen to me. I didn’t want to drown in people’s madness.”
According to him, the decision led him to Europe, where he visited his longtime friend and music legend, Dr Alban. He initially planned to stay for three weeks to “recharge and reboot,” but his trip took an unexpected turn.
“Oyibo people say if you stay in shit long enough, you’ll start to smell like one. So I ran off to Europe to visit my brother, Dr Alban. I planned to stay three weeks recharging and rebooting, but after ten days my body started itching like I forgot something in Nigeria. I couldn’t even finish two weeks before running back. Sometimes it feels like jazz,” he confessed.
Charly Boy explained that while the trip helped him regain some balance, it also highlighted a reality many Nigerians cannot escape. He used the opportunity to address the widespread but often ignored issue of depression and mental health in society.
“But here’s the truth: depression is real,” he wrote. “I was lucky to take a break, step away, and return refreshed, holding on to that European breeze. But how many people get that kind of privilege? Some have nowhere to run. They’re stuck with their pain smiling on the outside but bleeding inside.”
He went further to challenge the cultural silence around mental health, emphasizing that depression should not be seen as weakness or taboo. “We need to start talking about these things. Mental health is no joke. It’s not weakness, it’s not taboo it’s reality. If Area Fada can admit that sometimes it chokes, you don’t need to pretend. Speak up, breathe, and find your way back. Life will test us, but we must not let it break us.”
The entertainer rounded off his note with a message of encouragement to Nigerians as they navigate the daily struggles of life. “My people, here’s wishing you a happier month. It shall be well with us,” he concluded.
Charly Boy’s openness has been widely praised, with many describing his admission as a much-needed reminder that depression and mental health struggles cut across age, class, and status. For a man whose career has spanned decades and who is often seen as larger-than-life, his vulnerability has further amplified calls for Nigerians to prioritize mental wellness.
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