By Habeeb Ibrahim
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo turned the tables on comedian Isbae U after failing a test on some of Nigeria’s popular entertainment personalities during an appearance on Curiosity Made Me Ask.
Isbae U asked the former president if he knew entertainers including Carter Efe, Poco Lee and music executive Don Jazzy.
Obasanjo said he did not know them.
“Do you know Carter Efe?”
“I don’t know,” Obasanjo replied.
The comedian followed with Poco Lee, to which Obasanjo again answered no.
When Don Jazzy’s name came up, the former president reacted with “Ha,” before jokingly telling Isbae U that he knew people Obasanjo did not know.
Obasanjo then turned the question around.
He asked Isbae U if he knew the late British monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
Obasanjo said he knew Queen Elizabeth, recalling that he had received her in Nigeria.
He also asked the comedian about King Charles III.
When Isbae U said he had heard of him, Obasanjo said he knew the British monarch and recalled that Charles had received him at his farm in Wales.
The exchange came as Obasanjo and Isbae U discussed the international reach of the comedian’s show.
Obasanjo teased Isbae U over the fact that the programme and its videos had reached audiences in the United States and United Kingdom, while the comedian himself had not visited some of the places he was talking about.
“Your show has gone to America; your show has gone to the UK, and then you haven’t been to America,” Obasanjo said.
The former president also joked that the difference between the people they knew showed that they operated in different circles.
“You know Tunde Ednut. It’s not a win-win. It’s a loss for you,” he told Isbae U.
Obasanjo explains why his view of Charly Boy changed
The former president also spoke about veteran entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, explaining how his opinion of the entertainer changed over time.
Obasanjo said he initially had little regard for Charly Boy because of his appearance and public persona.
He recalled that his first impression changed after visiting Charly Boy’s home to see his father, the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
According to Obasanjo, he was initially put off by the unusual appearance of a motorcycle outside the house.
However, after entering the house, he saw how Charly Boy cared for his father.
Obasanjo said the experience made him reconsider his opinion of the entertainer.
He said Charly Boy continued to take care of Justice Oputa until his death and later extended the same care to his mother, Margaret Oputa.
“So I started changing my mind about Charly Boy,” Obasanjo said, adding that the entertainer “behaved like a good child” towards his father.
Obasanjo said Charly Boy later explained that his unconventional appearance and “jaga-jaga” persona were part of how he made money.
The former president said the explanation also made him see Charly Boy as an intelligent person.
“You cannot do jaga-jaga to earn a living without being intelligent,” he said.
Obasanjo added jokingly that he now liked Charly Boy “a bit, not too much.”
‘Nigeria fed me, not Nigerians’
Another exchange centred on Isbae U’s repeated joke that he paid Obasanjo’s salary, provided his accommodation in Aso Rock and fed him during his eight years as president from 1999 to 2007.
The comedian had used the claim while introducing Obasanjo, describing the former president as someone who once worked for him.
He also told Obasanjo to ask for permission before drinking water during the interview.
Obasanjo played along with the joke but later drew a distinction between being fed by Nigerians and being provided for by the Nigerian state.
He said Nigeria fed him, rather than Nigerians individually.
The former president also pointed to Aso Rock as something built by Nigeria, keeping the focus on the distinction between the office of the president and the individual occupying it.
The conversation later moved into Obasanjo’s names and titles.
When Isbae U asked whether he should call him “Olusegun” or “Baba Iyabo,” Obasanjo explained that he was born and named Olusegun and Aremu, while “Baba Iyabo” came later after he had children.
He also referred to his military career, telling Isbae U, “I get rank. I’m a general,” during another playful exchange.
At one point, Isbae U challenged him to a one-on-one confrontation, prompting Obasanjo to ask whether he wanted to do it immediately.
The comedian also joked about Obasanjo leaving Aso Rock after his second term, asking whether he cried when he was told to “pack your load” after eight years in office.
Obasanjo’s appearance on Curiosity Made Me Ask has generated attention because it brought a former Nigerian president into a format built around sarcasm, roast-style questions and informal conversations.
The programme, launched in December 2023, has previously featured personalities including Pete Edochie, Jide Kosoko, Yemi Solade, Kate Henshaw, Bovi, Bella Shmurda, Victor Boniface and others.
Obasanjo is the first former Nigerian president reported to have appeared on the programme.
