Showbiz maverick and activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy says he has volunteered to be a counsellor to couples, especially young celebrities having marital challenges.
He made this known in Abuja on Wednesday in an interview with journalists.
“If you are having challenges in your marriage, and you really want to stay married but need to talk to someone to share your problems with, you can call on me.
“I swear, I am very saddened how the marriage institution is going down the drain these days.
“Young people are no longer responsible or disciplined enough to stick to relationships.
“The average marriage now for young people last four years and this is very sad.
“I fear that in the next five years, marriage as we know it may become old fashioned,” CharlyBoy lamented.
The social activist said he was particularly moved to offer voluntary counselling because of the high rate at which young marriages especially that of celebrities were crashing.
“I was moved by the prevalent marital crisis and break-ups among our young celebrities, especially the very recent one between singer Tiwa Savage and her husband, Tee Billz.
“Why should they wash their dirty linens in the public, when they can settle their matters in the bedroom, “he queried.
He said that being married for almost 40 decades, even as a celebrity positioned him as one of the few experienced married men around who could offer reliable counsel to save ailing marriages.
“Being married to the same person for almost 38 years has thought me that marriage is no ‘moimoi’, neither is it beans and rice.
“Both parties must work at it daily and must give their best every day forever.
“I may be old/new school, but I still believe in family and marriage.
“I believe that every human being is created to have a desire to be married, though some have a desire to be single.’’
According to the “Area fada” as he is popularly called by young people, his decision to volunteer to offer marriage counselling to any willing couple, has been embraced by many people.
“The kind of stories and complaints I have received since I started this counselling within a week are incredible.
“I gave my number out to the public, and I have not rested since then.
“This shows that many marriages are in crisis and need urgent attention to prevent imminent break-up,’’ he noted.
Charly Boy, however, identified tolerance, character and friendship as important ingredients that could sustain marital relationships.
“Marriage, like I keep saying, is how we maturely deal with our incompatibility rather than our compatibility.
“It is not lack of love, but lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.
“Besides, whether or not a young couple stays together often depends on why they got married in the first place.
“You can’t have a healthy marriage with unhealthy habits, for me and my wife, we are committed to managing each other, because the devil we know is better than the angel to come,’’ he said.
Reports said that in spite of the high divorce rate among celebrities, and even the clergy in recent times, the controversial entertainment maestro had remained married to his American wife, Diane. (NAN)