CHARLY BOY : 'BIAFRAN WAR SCARRED MY YOUTH, FORCED ME TO EAT LIZARDS'. (PHOTO).

 Charly Boy: ‘Biafran War scarred my youth, forced me to eat lizards’

Renowned musician Charles Oputa, widely known as Charly Boy, has reflected on the haunting memories of the Nigerian Civil War also referred to as the Biafran War.

In a post shared on his X account on the 30th of May, 2024, in honor of Biafran Day and to pay tribute to the fallen heroes who fought for the establishment of Biafra, Charly Boy expressed how the war deeply affected his youth.

He emphasized that sheer luck played a significant role in his survival.

While recounting the harrowing scenes of death and starvation during the war, he revealed resorting to eating lizards for sustenance.

Charly Boy also lamented the hardships endured by the Easterners in the aftermath of the war, while acknowledging the remarkable resilience of the Igbo people in rebuilding their lives post-conflict.

“30th May. Biafran Day

“The Nigerian Civil War (67-70) scandalized my Youth. As a teenager, it was mother luck that kept some of us alive. I saw far too many dead bodies everywhere, mostly from starvation.

“Everyday was like one’s last. Even with some food relief from The Red Cross, some of us ate Lizards as our protein. It was hell. I will never forget.

“By the time the war was over, our eastern Igbo brothers were all given £20 to rebuild their lives regardless of how many billions they had before the war.

“Lessons Learnt: Life is about navigating through hardships, bouncing back from setbacks, and maintaining a positive outlook no matter the circumstances. Resilience refers to the ability to use personal, dogged qualities to withstand pressure. That our Igbo brothers have in abundance.

“Hail Biafra,” he wrote.