CHARLY BOY TRICKED ME INTO MARRIAGE – LADY D
She's frank to a fault, and a perfectionist of sorts. This explains why it took her many years to work on her music, now in the market. Diana Oputa, a.k.a Lady Di, wife of the sensational ZoomTime anchorman, Charles Oputa (Charly Boy), is a reporter's delight.
In this soul searching interview, Lady Diane speaks about her music, marriage, and how she had her first date with Charly Boy. " He asked me out to a party. He told me that his friends were having this party in his house, and that he would want me to come. When we got to his house, there was really no party. It was a candle–lit dinner and it was unique," recalled vintage Lady Diane.
My album
Yes! I have an album in the market, it's a ten-track CD. We have a lot of tracks on it that are positive tracks, and full of fun- a mixture of different kinds of music.
I'm just hoping that the album will pick up in the market, but it's a gradual process. Not withstanding, it is getting positive responses, and I don't think our problem is the creative part of it. I think our problem is basically the business side of it.
Charly Boy and my music
Well, it may be a coincidence, but as far as whether his musical background is rubbing off on me, I would say no. It just happened that we are both musically inclined. I've always done music, I've always been in the entertainment field and in the artistic field. My husband is also releasing his CD, and right now, he has a track on TV, it's called "Nwata Miss", and it's receiving good airplay as well. So, we're looking at it as a joint venture.
We want to do the next one or two videos together.
I've been asked several times why it took me this long to produce an album. Actually, we've been working on this CD for a couple of years to get it to the point where I thought it was ready for release. It just happened to work like that. Naturally, my husband was part of my music, but not really having much input on the content of the music. He let me do what I wanted to do and then offers advice where necessary
Attraction to Charlie Boy
Well, you would have to ask him what was the attraction from his own side. For me, when I first met him, I think he was unique. He was different in his manner of approach because the way he asked me to go out with him was different from the way most guys would ask or do. You might say he conned me into marriage.
He called me and asked me to come go out with him. He told me that we were going for a party at his place, but there wasn't any party happening. So, it was a lie that he told me, to get me into his house. He really thought about it, he really planned it very well. A lot of people will look at it as being deceitful from the beginning of a relationship.
I took it in good faith and that was really something that really attracted me to him. I guess I've always liked adventurous guys. I was really amused, when I got to his house and found out that there was really no party but a cande lit dinner just for the two of us.
He went into so much trouble to get me to that point, and it was delightful. He was a perfect gentleman, he had dinner prepared, and I guess this was the best way to get to know any one. To have private time to sit down and learn more about each other.
Parents' reaction to marriage
My husband had a party for my father – in- law in Bouston. That was when I first met him (Charly Boy's father). When he met me, he said to me, "you remind me of my niece. Are you sure you are not a Nigerian". And I said no, I'm never a Nigerian. Then he said to me that I could come to Nigeria for a visit if I wanted to.
That was how I actually got my first trip to Nigeria. My parents were open, they never really objected to anything I wanted, because they know that I was positive and a straight forward person and I was old enough at the time to take a decision for myself. From the Nigerian point of view, it's more of, is she going to be a wife, can she have children for her husband, can she stay, can she cope and all that. You know, can she, can she, so those were some of the problems I was facing at the time, but I wasn't really seeing it as that, I was having fun and enjoying myself. Eventually, I did have my first son in 1984, I think from then, it was from there that it was like, oh! there are possibilities, if she has had a son.
Charlie's cockiness
I think that most Nigerians could see him as being cocky. When you go out of the country, there are proud people, and they have a reason to be. I don't think that's just to Charles alone because I've met Nigerians outside the country, and I think that's why foreigners can come into America and do so well. I think it's because they know where they are coming from, and they're doing so well, becoming international stars and models.
Some of them even from very poor backgrounds, and I think also it's all about good upbringing. It may interest you to know that Charles also relates very well with the less privileged, and he's a good listener and he contributes a lot to their lives. Not necessarily financially, because we don't have money to give, but he has a lot of advice and that thing that could push and elevate them to do better in their lives. I think that's where he's found a balance.
Our marriage
We've had normal marital quarrels, but one thing about us is that we always talk and we always listen. No matter what the problem is, if you can tolerate, understand, and try to open up when you're not happy everything will be resolved.