Veteran Nigerian entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has openly acknowledged engaging in criminal activities during his younger years while living in the United States.
The outspoken social commentator made the revelation during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.
Charly Boy, who recently spoke about his 38-year-old marriage, explained that he chose to speak candidly about his past because he believes others can draw valuable lessons from his life experiences.
During the interview, he reflected on the poor choices he made in his youth, admitting that they remain some of his greatest regrets.
“I’ve made mistakes in my life. I’ve been a thief. I’ve done very risky things. I’ve done very stupid things, very foolish things,” he said.
Reflecting on those years, he said he sometimes finds it remarkable that he survived everything he went through.
He added: “In fact, I have no business being here with you tonight, but I guess there’s a purpose for my life.”
The activist further revealed that some of the crimes he committed took place during his time in the United States as a young man. He disclosed that he became involved in white-collar crime when he was around 25 years old.
“I was doing white-collar crime when I was in America. I was about 25 years old. I was doing a lot of stupid stuff. That’s why I say I’ve been there,” he revealed.
While he chose not to elaborate on the exact nature of the offences, Charly Boy said those experiences played a significant role in shaping his perspective on life and the person he eventually became.
Rather than hiding that period of his life from public view, he explained that he included those experiences in his memoir.
He said it was important for him to present his story in full because it chronicles his journey from a reckless young man to someone committed to encouraging and inspiring others.
According to the activist, mistakes are part of the human experience, but genuine personal growth comes from accepting those errors, learning from them, and moving forward instead of denying they ever occurred.
Watch the video belowÂ
I’ve made many mistakes, but they led me to my real purpose: doing what genuinely speaks to my soul. Today, I choose peace. We can’t claim to believe in humanity if we don’t love our neighbours as ourselves.
— Charly Boy
Entertainer | Political Activist pic.twitter.com/WI3B7kT3dV— WolfFrankNG (@WolfFrank65176) June 27, 2026
