Charly Boy Bus Stop: Controversy As Bus Conductor Ignores Name Change (Video)

The recent decision to rename Charly Boy Bus Stop in Lagos to Baddo Bus Stop by the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has sparked widespread debate and reactions online and offline.

The name change, made in honour of Nigerian music star Olamide Adedeji, popularly known as Baddo, is part of a broader initiative by the LCDA to celebrate individuals they believe have contributed to the area’s cultural and social development.

The announcement, made by the outgoing chairman of the council, also included other renamings to honour figures like King Sunny Ade, 9ice, Tony Tetuila, and footballer Bukayo Saka. But none generated as much public conversation as the switch from Charly Boy to Baddo.

In a viral video circulating on social media, a danfo bus conductor was seen calling the bus stop by its former name, shouting, “Charly Boy wa o!” His call prompted a passenger to question him, possibly to see if he was aware of the recent name change. The conductor, unaware or dismissive of the update, continued calling the stop by its original name.

This simple incident triggered a flood of comments from Nigerians online, with many reflecting on how deeply rooted the original name has become in public consciousness.

One user wrote, “E go hard before e go change,” while another noted, “Una funny sha. You expect make dem don dey use Baddo name? Na with time na.” Others were more expressive. A comment read, “Dat bus stop must remain CHARLY-BOY,” showing how strongly some Lagosians feel about the legacy behind the old name. Another stated, “You can take Olosho to church but to put church inside Olosho be the hardest part na him be this,” suggesting that public habit is hard to break.

Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, also spoke out publicly, expressing dissatisfaction with the development. “This move is silly and petty,” he said, adding that it seemed like an attempt to erase his long-standing contributions to advocacy and resistance against oppression. While acknowledging Olamide’s achievements, he insisted that his name held historical weight that should not be discarded. “You can’t touch my records,” he asserted.

The conversation quickly expanded beyond the name change itself to touch on broader social and political issues. Charly Boy, in a separate interview, argued that Lagos should not be seen as belonging to any single tribe. “This is our first capital, so it has people from different ethnic groups who make Lagos really bubble… Lagos is like the New York of Nigeria,” he said. He added that the city is a cultural melting pot, and its strength lies in its diversity and inclusiveness.

In a more politically charged response, social commentator Verydarkman (VDM) called the move a calculated strategy designed to stir ethnic division ahead of upcoming elections. He described the name change as a “political mind game” aimed at pitting Yorubas against Igbos, warning that this kind of tactic often resurfaces during election periods.

Other Nigerians shared similar sentiments online, with one user warning, “To deny that is to erase generations of history, struggle, and belonging.” Another wrote, “Maybe we will need to enact a law that bans whoever says Lagos is a no man’s land from staying in Lagos.” Yet another user, seemingly frustrated with the state of affairs, remarked, “U sell all your lands to the highest bidder and you now want to reclaim it??? To even win elections is difficult 4 u. Shame in we Yorubas.”

Interestingly, Olamide himself has remained silent since the renaming took place. One user commented on his absence: “Till this moment Olamide is yet to say a word. Probably he is still acting as if he is not aware.” The user suggested this might have been a good moment for the artist to acknowledge the honour or clarify his position.

As this controversy continues, it highlights the deep connection between identity, public memory, and urban spaces in Lagos. For many, this is about more than a name change—it’s about who gets remembered and why.

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