I’ve been smoking marijuana since 1968, it’s a tremendous blessing —Charly Boy

Maverick entertainer cum activist Charles Oputa popularly called Charly Boy has said he thought he would go mad the first time he smoked cannabis, before proceeding to shower praises on the prohibited drug.

“Nothing wey no enter my mind that day,” he said in pidgin in a post yesterday on his Facebook wall. “I come dey wonder. So na like dis man go just take craze or die.”

Charly Boy aka Area Fada recalled that it was his “naughty cousin” who introduced him to cannabis during the Civil War back in his native Oguta in Imo State.

Then when he found that he neither ran mad nor died, he embraced the prohibited drug full time, saying that it has been beneficial to him. He also portrayed himself as probably an unrivaled user of the cannabis.

“Fela no smoke Igbo pass me, Naira Marley na apprentice for weed” he stated.

“I’ve been smoking marijuana for about 55 years now, and I think it’s a tremendous blessing.

“As much as I tried some other drugs, I stuck to my Indian hemp because I became a master in controlling my high and making it work for me. Infact I make bold to say dat.

“I started smoking Igbo before Fela, In fact Baba Fela no smoke reach me, the only difference be say, he advertised it a lot, I just kept mine under wraps for a very long time.

“Smoking weed always made me feel more creative, more probing, and easier with myself. I always felt happy and free. Empowered and relaxed almost as cool as Ice.

“Aside from these positive impacts on my medulla-oblongata, cannabis has also helped heal my body in a way none of you can imagine. I have used marijuana to help treat some joint pains I have, it has also helped me to deal with my depression and anxiety. Sometimes I have used it to regain my appetite loss.

“Cannabis, marijuana, weed, Indian hemp, weewee, zazavooo, call it whatever turns you on is now very popular than ever, as more and more places choose to legalize marijuana.

‘I even hear say Oyo state wan to dey export the natural grass. This beautiful plant has the ability to improve lives across the entire globe.

“I have always loved marijuana. It has been from time to time a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. And I still think of it as a basic staple of life, along with my vegetables, fruits supplements etc.

“Remember I was once a vegetarian. Most importantly I have discovered how to slow down my aging process by a concoction I discovered in my private lab many years ago.

“The mixture of Indian hemp with some other secret grass has drastically slowed down my aging. Many Nigerians will agree with me that I am younger today than I looked 25 years ago.

“Who was it that said, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison”

“So how many of you ignorantly gave Igbo a bad name, make una begin confess.

“For me it has become the vital and viral ingredient in my age slowing concoction which will hopefully be in the market in the next few years.

“The biggest killer on the planet is stress and I still think the best medicine is and always has been cannabis.

“I don give my own testimony, wetin be your own, good or bad.”

The post attracted many comments which were in agreement with similar experiences.

While cannabis is enjoying decriminalisation in many Western countries, in Nigeria, it is still an offence to cultivate trade or be in possession of cannabis. However, in May, Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said the state is set to go into the cultivation of medicinal marijuana.

“Our focus now is medical marijuana cultivation in controlled plantations under the full supervision of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,” Akeredolu had tweeted after a trip to Thailand to understudy the country’s cannabis cultivation.

“I strongly implore the FG to take this seriously; as it is a thriving industry that will create 1000’s of jobs for our youths and spur economic diversification.”

Akeredolu’s controversial suggestion stirred several views in the country.

TheNation