What was considered one of the most entertaining and awe inspiring editions of the Nigerian Idol zonal competition held in Enugu the coal city, penultimate Monday, turned out most alluring with the effect of ‘the show in a show’ created by the enigmatic Charlyboy who happens to be one of the judges. In this excerpt, a writer takes a look at how Charlyboy charmed the monster of a python which held the crew and the organizers of the show spellbound.? He equally looks at the significance of Charlyboy and the python to the entire event.
?
When the Python crawled into the venue of the show from a self-contained giant box, the nature expert and lover of wild animals, CB, got everybody on their feet with his continuous romance with the reptile. It was obvious from my standpoint that no one was going to dare this python. It would rather take the heart of a lion or even more than that to behold such sight or even go close to the giant, elongated and legless carnivorous reptile. Shivers ran down many people’s spines as the giant snake crawled around the venue. Some were forced to leave the venue, with the fear that it was not only a show.
?
However, while everybody was at a distance, running for ‘dear’ life, Charlyboy fearlessly romanced with this animal bringing up several questions as regards his relationship with snakes. He never showed any sign of fear while putting his hands in the mouth of the Python, caressing the monster and turning it to a muffler.
However, I have decided not to be tricked by his pranks on issues, especially when it has to do with nature and animals such as the snake. I have heard different stories of his different affiliations with snakes, but I sturdily believe from what I perceived at the show that his romance with the snake was one of his most ingenious ways of sending significant messages to the organizers and the contestants on his changing, yet unswerving nature; hence, I would rather consider that experience as ‘a show in a show’.
?
I observed from the show that Charlyboy’s eye glasses shattered the hope and aspiration of some contestants who even went the extra mile of competing in the two preceding competitions before the Enugu edition.? I also noticed from the last two editions of the zonal competition that some of the upcoming artistes couldn’t said through in Abuja and Port-Harcourt because he appeared too difficult with his ‘yes’.? This was why some contestants who had tried in two different states and still followed the judges to Enugu grumbled when they couldn’t still get his yes. However, my advice to the contestants is never to get discouraged since Charlyboy himself had spoken in Enugu after the snake show that his mystique stance was to test the elastic limit of the artistes’ patience, confidence and seriousness. Relating his fearless relationship with the Python, I will affirm that it was a show with a significant message that life is about daring to do the impossible. Nobody really had thought that the Area Fada was going to play with the python the way he did, but he dared so and the python was quite calm and friendly – an obvious message that anything is possible. I also suspect that the snake show was another Charlyboy’s pranks to tell the organizers and the contestants that he still has a lot of surprises for them. In the same way, he could be trying to communicate to the contestants that his difficult stance was simply to bring out the best in them, and to watch out for their consistent and dogged character which is so synonymous with the Charlyboy brand.? The experience of the snake equally goes to explain that those he would like to mentor, should the organizers of the show give the judges the go ahead to mentor their finalists, would be those with his kind of star quality. It would be those who may not be the best singers, but who will be able to confront future challenges even after the money had been won – those with the driving force to overcome all obstacles in order to rise to stardom.
?
Whichever way one looks at the snake show, it is important to conclude? that fear is one major path leading to failure and the earlier the contestants overcome the fear of Yinka Davis, Jeffery and Charlyboy’s verdicts, the better for them.? Do not be scared of the python as the train moves to Lagos, You can even decide to sit on the python’s head, put your hand into its mouth, and caress the body as you could do to your most favorite pet and you will soar. The fact is that the python may not be taken to Lagos, but the contestants should be confident to play along the line of the thought of the three pythons who will be judging them. If there is an element of fear and these pythons notice, life would be squeezed out of their aspiration, the python would turn against such artiste; but with his or her vocal prowess, stage charisma, star quality and confidence, the contestant will charm the three pythons. I pray to meet the Python again; maybe, I will also dare it as Charlyboy did.
?