Will I ever get tired of coming to the Punk Palace for scoops? I don’t think so. When I put a call through to the Punk King, Charly Boy a.k.a. Area Fada, requesting to interview the grand master of the Nigerian judiciary, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa (rtd), my expectations were naturally high. The excitement level was the same every time one gets the chance to sip from the human fountain of knowledge as represented in the retired judicial giant. Every minute spent in his presence leaves you feeling like one who’s had an encyclopedia of knowledge implanted in the brains. On this cool and breezy afternoon, as I sat and waited in the Punk Palace bush bar, Charly Boy clad in his boxers and T-shirt, his father, the Justice holding on to a half empty bottle of small stout and a filled glass sauntered in.
Of course, I know CB doesn’t drink but I’ve, however, heard that his dad’s only indulgence is an occasional drink of a small bottle of stout and cognac, definitely a legacy from his debonair days as a young dishy-dashy brilliant lawyer. It was a good sight to behold, a sixty-years old young son and his ninety something years old  father relaxing in the garden on a Tuesday evening. Pleasantries over, we quickly got down to the business of the day.

By OGBONNA AMADI, Entertainment Editor

WHAT do you have to say about what is happening in the Judiciary?

What can I say? It is most unfortunate and most embarrassing happening. It is a happening that could never ever have been imagined in our days. The judiciary is, however, a part of the Nigerian polity. It is, therefore, naturally reflecting the general decay that unfortunately permeates the entire system for some time now.

However, what happens in the judiciary raises more dust and poses more danger because the judiciary is supposed to be the citadel of rectitude and the bastion of law and order. The last hope for a nation state melts away when corruption and politics also engulf the very core of law interpretation and enforcement. Without interpretation and enforcement there could be no law and without law there could be no order and without order there could be no system. What can stem a collapse once it starts if the judiciary cannot command respect? May the gun never again become our arbiter

Much wisdom, maturity and patriotism are needed to handle the delicate equation that has developed. Certainly the judicial system needs serious sanitization. Sometimes I despair. With the general breakdown in morality how can there be hope that the judiciary will be run by Nigerians who will continue to resist mounting temptation from our corrupt environment.

What is happening is ominous and portends grave dangers. Its capacity to disrupt must not be underrated. I do not want to apportion blame except to advise that all those in responsible positions must close rank to fight corruption and indiscipline with relentlessness wherever it is found no matter whose ox is gored. This we must do for the stability and forward march of our nation.

Do you regret leaving the judiciary?
I never had any such regrets. Rather I was happy that the salary review had finally been done. For those of us of the old order, what gave us satisfaction was the competence we were able to bring to bear in our duties. Money had not become the deity it seems to be for this present generation. Luckily there was no inflation in the economy and no exaggerated life styles so the comparatively much less take homes we had still afforded us a comfortable and respected life.

Generally, people retire back to their villages. Where would you actually like to spend the rest of your obviously still long years ahead? Abuja or Oguta?

Ha, of course in both places. I love Oguta my town, and I just came back from a six-month stay in Oguta. Young man, have you ever been there?

No!

Oldest person in the village

I suggest you go. It is a beautiful lake resort town. A happy peaceful town with every tourist attraction, and I have a comfortable country home there. I am also the oldest person in my village and thus have assumed an additional, very important traditional title as the final arbiter in conflict resolutions, and the mentoring, wises a counseling father of all. I also love staying in Abuja with Charles and his lovely wife Diane and my many grandchildren.

*Justice Chukwudifu Oputa..

One great-grand child, Olivia is also here but the others are in the US. God has given me very good health and still strong capacity to function comfortably and succinctly. I still read a lot and write and follow with cognition both serious and ordinary but topical discussions and events.  I also now have more time to indulge in my new pass time, engaging with the youths in their creative pursuits and their exuberance and problems. Charles often takes me out to their shows, music, comedy and all.

Opportunity for peaceful quiet time

I relish my time here in Abuja and the welcome opportunity for peaceful quiet time for reflection and rest. Of course you know that my best friend and love of my life is always with me, my  wife. Though she is in a wheel chair, she is still as vivacious, pretty and brilliant as ever.

Reports have it that you did not support your son Charles, in fact that you were decidedly disappointed when he deviated from your plans for him to become a lawyer and instead started building his present brand charliboism.

The reports are correct. Naturally I was disapproving. Which caring father would not be? It was bad enough for those days that he wanted to be a musician but to also begin to despot himself in the outlandish manner that he choose was rather too much especially for someone in my kind of profession. I did not just object because of my personal feelings, but more because of Charles himself. I’m worried he might not understand the implications of choosing a path I was sure would lead him nowhere but only expose him to ridicule and to what I perceived as a seedy dangerous social group. Music, I thought should be a hobby not a career.

Times had proved me so wrong for which I am grateful and thank the good Lord. Of course, Charly has never, and I believe, will never let me hear the last of it. Anyway I have not lost out in anyway because my younger son Ijeoma is a practicing and promising lawyer and my chambers will not after all be deserted, and I have not built a huge law library in vain.

Would you say that you and Charlie have similar traits and what are those traits?
Oh yes. Charles is so hard working, sometimes I almost worry until I recall that was how I used to be in my younger days and even until I retired from active professional life and service. Hard work and tremendous focus are certainly our common traits. He is also just like me; a man with a strong attachment to his family. He just does not joke with that. I am also very proud to note that like me, he has zero tolerance for injustice of any kind. That is again related to a deep compassion for the less privileged and down trodden.

What is the one trait you most admire in your son?
His doggedness. He has lofty visions seemingly impossible to actualize. He pursues those visions with a single-minded doggedness, exhibiting an amazing capacity to build a team and drive them relentlessly toward the realization of his dreams. His advice to the youths to never let anybody kill their dreams is his personal mantra which rules him. I salute that.

Looking back then with your experience in life,  do you think that given the right circumstances, you could have also become an artist, musician, or perhaps even a Charly Boy. Is there an artist lying deep and unrevealed or undiscovered deep within you?

In my days, it was not the respectable thing to be a musician especially if you came from a good home that had the capacity to provide the opportunity for sound education. What people took pride in were Medicine, Law, Engineering and the Teaching profession. Music could be allowed and appreciated only as a hobby.

Music and dancing

As a young man I loved music and dancing and of course was impassioned with the contemporary music of my youth. Till today, I love my jazz, classical, blues and highlife. I loved ballroom dancing, the waltz, tango, the foxtrot, the rumba, cha cha, the swing. I believe I have art and creativity within, but never fed that part of me; however I suspect I diverted its flavor into my law practice and make it uniquely different.

If today am also proud to introduce myself as Charly Boy’s father, I guess given the same circumstances that were my sons, I just may have attempted to be Charly Boy. I doubt though if I would have succeeded as well. Curiously, it may be his mother who may be a better Charly Boy. That is probably why she never doubted that he would do well, even in those for me, anxious days.

I understand that in the Battle of the Gifted; the Charly Boy Show Live, taking place on September 10 at the Thisday Dome, you are billed to compete with OBJ in dancing. What should we expect?
Hmmmm. Charlie’s pranks. I guess you have to wait till that day. We’ve had one rehearsal though.