A veteran artiste, Charles Oputa, popularly known as “Charly Boy”, said on Thursday that it was not a difficult task to curtail piracy in the country.
Charly Boy told the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) in Lagos that all that was needed was to apply the laws and punish those involved.
According to him, piracy thrives because the “greedy people” involved are allowed to circumvent the law.
“We don’t have monopoly of piracy, just as you will ask about corruption, which has eaten deep into us, but it can be controlled.
“Those that are consistently engaged in it are people who want to have money by all means, those who want it here and now.
“They are the ones spoiling the country.
“It is not about policies or absence of it; it is about people misbehaving and nothing happens to address the issue.
“We have seen people breaking the laws with impunity and nothing happens to them.
“We support them, so that when it gets to our turn we can also break the law,” he noted.
The veteran artiste stressed that those responsible for law enforcement must live up to expectations in order to protect the industry.
“It has to do with regard for discipline and doing the right thing for things to move forward.
“If everybody in the arts sector can join hands and fight piracy, we can say goodbye to it,” he said.
NAN reports that “Charly Boy’’ who was born Charles Oputa, in June 1951 is a singer, song writer, television presenter, publisher and a producer.
Charly Boy’s most popular television series was The Charly Boy Show – a weekly sketch/variety show with political undertones, which featured music, comedy, and celebrities.
Key segments included This Is Not The News (a spoof bulletin which made fun of Nigerian celebrities, using thinly-disguised names), Mama and Papa Nothing Spoil.
It was launched on NTA 2 Channel 5 Lagos, and syndicated to other stations across the country.
Among the cast were Charly Boy’s wife Diane Oputa, actress Stella Damasus, Mercy Oyebo, singing duo Tunde and Wunmi Obe, and Patrick Doyle.
In spite of its popularity, “The Charly Boy Show’’ struggled to receive consistent sponsorship, and Charly Boy would often asked celebrity friends to appeal for sponsors on-camera, without much success.
The show was eventually cancelled in 2001 after ten years. (NAN)