Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s appearance on comedian Isbae U’s well-liked YouTube show, Curiosity Made Me Ask, was made possible by veteran performer and activist Charly Boy.
Charly Boy, also known as Area Fada, claimed in a post on X on Tuesday that he brought the former president and the content producer together to highlight the importance of intergenerational cooperation.
Sometimes, the greatest thing you can give a young person is not money. It is an opportunity. Look at what happened when Baba entered Bae U’s world,” he wrote.
He praised Obasanjo for embracing the show’s unconventional format and matching Isbae U’s energy, despite the generational gap.
“A man of his age and experience sat down with a young man whose style is completely different from what he is used to. Baba did not just sit there looking serious. He matched the energy, played along and showed Nigerians another side of himself,” Charly Boy stated
He then disclosed his behind-the-scenes role in making the interview happen.
“And who helped make that connection happen? Charly Boy. Fada believed in the young people behind that show enough to pull Baba into their space,” he said.
Obasanjo’s appearance on the show went viral after the former president indulged in its trademark humour and banter.
Host Isbae U jokingly introduced Obasanjo as his former employee, claiming he paid his salary, provided his food and covered his rent at Aso Rock between 1999 and 2007.
Obasanjo played along, responding to questions about contemporary pop culture figures like Don Jazzy, Poco Lee and Carter Efe, names he admitted he did not know, to further comic effect.
Reflecting on the interview’s wider impact, Charly Boy called on older Nigerians to open doors for the younger generation.
“To the older generation: don’t only tell young people to succeed. Give them room. Open doors. Recommend them. Trust them with opportunities,” he said.
He also charged young people to be prepared when such opportunities come.
“To the younger generation: don’t wait for somebody to hand you a future. Build something worth believing in. When opportunity comes, be ready,” he added.
“When generations support each other, everybody gets to grow. That is how legacy is supposed to work,” Charly Boy concluded.
