Okorocha’s Humiliation: Oguta Leaders Back Charley Boy

Elders and leaders of Oguta Local Government in Imo State have thrown their weight behind Charles Oputa, otherwise known as Charley Boy, following the controversy that trailed his stand-off with Governor Rochas Okorocha, during the burial of his father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, last month.

In a statement signed by Prof. Ike Azogu; Engr. V. C. Oputa; Ogbuagu Idika Nsofor and Mr. Ezeoba John Okoroafor, the elders under the auspices of the Oguta Leaders of Thought said it would have been a breach of protocol if Governor Okorocha had been allowed to speak after the President’s goodwill message.

The group added that the governor and his aides had, through their activities, not shown any respect to the clearly expressed desire of the Oputa family to divest their father’s burial of partisan politics as the late jurist had deliberately shunned partisan politics throughout his lifetime. The statement reads in part: “It was becoming increasingly clear that the solemn event could slide into a political soap opera.

This would be a great dishonour to the late legal icon; and his son, Ogbuagu Charles Oputa, was thus compelled and justified to step in to nip the developing trend in the bud. “Charles, who was carefully monitoring the proceedings, in his wisdom, had to do what was necessary to save the solemnity and dignity of his father’s funeral from political opportunists.”

Describing Charley Boy as foresighted in preventing his father’s burial being turned into a ‘political carnival,’ the group noted with dismay that five days after the burial, a billboard suddenly appeared at Oguta Junction, Mgbidi, bearing the image of Governor Okorocha and late Justice Oputa, without the consent of the Oputa family.

Urging the governor not to cry more than the bereaved, the leaders reminded him of perceived disrespect meted out to the late jurist in his lifetime by the governor, when he rebuffed Justice Oputa and the Oguta traditional council by refusing to grant audience to a delegation of Oguta people led by Justice Oputa, who had sought to discuss issues and problems besetting Oguta community.

The leaders and elders said since the inception of the Okorocha administration, issues concerning Oguta have all been shelved or pushed to the background.

The leaders also averred that Oguta as the largest oil producing community in the state, has also been denied and deprived of statutory positions and benefits by the Okorocha administration.