Femi Brainard, a renowned Nigerian actor, recently shared his personal experiences of living abroad as a celebrity from Nigeria.
In an interview with Teju Oyelakin, popularly known as Teju Babyface, on his podcast, Brainard shed light on the pros and cons of relocating to a foreign country.
He emphasized that being esteemed and respected in Nigeria holds more value than being anonymous in a foreign land.
During the conversation with the comedian, Brainard mentioned an interesting observation he had made while driving.
He noticed that his Nigerian passengers, in particular, would often stare at him in disbelief, trying to confirm if he was indeed the famous star they recognized. Some of them would even approach him to verify his identity as the renowned actor from Nigeria.
Brainard also opened up about the financial challenges he faced while living abroad. He expressed that the bills were overwhelming, and he had to consider expenses like rent. In fact, he recalled a particularly difficult day when he was so financially strained that he found himself in the parking lot of his apartment, overcome with emotions and bursting into tears.
Reflecting on his decision to move abroad, Brainard admitted that his wife was not fond of the idea. However, he acknowledged the importance of providing for his family and the pressures that came with it.
He shared an incident where he met a couple at the airport who recognized him and questioned why he was in a foreign country instead of being in Nigeria, where he was highly regarded.
Despite the challenges he faced, Brainard expressed his preference for being a respected figure in Nigeria, even within a flawed system, rather than being an unknown individual in a foreign land.
He emphasized that the struggle in Nigeria was worth it, as it allowed him to maintain his status as a prince and a celebrity, which held more significance to him than the uncertainties of living abroad. However, he admitted that the financial aspect, particularly the concern of paying rent, still weighed heavily on his mind.
