Comedian and TV host Teju Babyface Oyelakin has shared the struggles he faced after moving to the United States.
According to him, the first few years abroad were difficult and filled with uncertainty.
Teju revealed that leaving Nigeria was a career and family decision, but the challenges he encountered upon arrival made him question the choice.
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The onset of COVID-19 shortly after his move added to the stress and confusion.
For about three years, he felt lost and unsure about his future.
He described the experience as taking a risky step that left him feeling directionless and overwhelmed.
Teju compared this period to a song by Nigerian music legend King Sunny Ade, which he said only made sense to him after living through those hard times.
He said: “When we were leaving Nigeria, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was the necessary next step in my career evolution, for us as a family, as a unit. But when we got here and the challenges started, especially when you consider that COVID-19 started a few months after we arrived, I was convinced I had made the biggest mistake of my life.”
“I had a phrase for it. I was convinced that I had taken a ruinous risk. The kind of risk that leads to ruin. Because I was completely lost and had no idea where my life was going. For the first time, I could understand what King Sunny Ade meant when he sang. I never understood what he meant in that song, and I’d been singing that song all of my life. But for the first time, I understood his sentiment.”
