Teju Babyface Shares Hard Lessons On Relocation To U.S. (Video)

Comedian and talk show host Teju Oyelakin, popularly known as Teju Babyface, has opened up about the challenges he faced after relocating to the United States (U.S.), admitting that the move once left him with deep regret.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Teju said many Nigerians wrongly assume that life becomes easier once they move abroad, describing that belief as a major misconception.

“We all tend to suffer from what I call the ‘grass is greener’ syndrome,” he explained. “From where we stand, another place always looks better — greener, more promising. But we usually don’t see the challenges until we get there.”

He revealed that adjusting to life in the U.S. was far more difficult than he expected, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when everything seemed uncertain.

“I lived in that place for years,” he said, recalling the difficult early period. “America has its own unique set of problems. When you add COVID to that, it was brutal. For about three years, I was convinced I had made the biggest mistake of my life — that I had shot myself in the foot.”

The entertainer, who had achieved great success in Nigeria before relocating, advised those considering migration to think carefully and prepare mentally for the realities of life abroad.

“It’s normal to feel lost when you start over,” he added. “But fulfillment often comes from adapting and growing where you are planted, not from constantly chasing greener pastures.”

His revelation quickly went viral online, sparking a flood of mixed reactions from Nigerians both at home and abroad.

@peculiarpat1 said Teju’s experience showed that relocation doesn’t automatically lead to success. “He was doing very well in Nigeria,” the user wrote. “His kind of career thrives better here than in the U.S., where he’d have to start from scratch.”

@iamAbode praised the comedian’s honesty, saying, “I really appreciate Teju Babyface’s openness. People glamorize ‘japa’ without realizing every country has its own struggles. Some destinies are tied to Nigeria.”

@DesmondGods took a lighter tone, joking, “Oya now, come back to Nigeria. We still need you to make us laugh hard — you’re not making us laugh from there!”

@Rosemary3151721 echoed Teju’s sentiment, noting, “When you finally get there, you’ll discover that nowhere is evergreen. Every place has its own version of hardship.”

@MichaelPneazy commented that Teju’s story should serve as a warning to entertainers. “He had already built a strong media brand here,” he said. “People who started after him are thriving. He didn’t need to leave.”

@holamilekan70 added a different perspective: “Leaving your country for greener pastures is easy, but returning when things don’t work out is the real challenge. The sacrifices make it hard to come back.”

@jessepiccasohh criticized the trend of celebrities lamenting relocation, saying, “If you regret moving to America, book the next available flight and return. Nobody is stopping you.”

Meanwhile, @itdami_ pointed out that Teju’s comments were misunderstood. “He said he regretted it during COVID, not that he regrets it now,” the user clarified. “People love to twist statements online.”

Following the wave of reactions, Teju later explained that his regret was temporary and tied to the difficult early years of settling in. He stressed that he has since found balance and learned valuable lessons from the experience.

His story has reignited broader discussions about Nigeria’s growing ‘japa’ culture, as more professionals weigh the pros and cons of starting over abroad. For Teju, his journey stands as both a warning and a reminder — that while opportunities may exist elsewhere, true contentment often depends on mindset, not location.

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