10 Nigerian stars who have relocated abroad.
Nigerians are relocating abroad in droves at the least opportunity. Some attribute the enormous exodus to the country’s difficulty. Others cite instability, a lack of work opportunities, high prices for commodities, and an epileptic power supply as reasons for wanting to relocate. Some are merely looking for brighter pastures.
Despite their popularity and prosperity, some celebrities have succumbed to the ‘japa’ condition. ‘Japa’ is a Nigerian term that refers to the act of hastily departing, running, or disappearing from a situation, usually in a hasty and urgent manner, in this case from Nigeria to another nation.
There appears to be no end to the reasons why Nigerian stars leave the nation, from seeking a new career path to seeking a new lease on life. Below are the list of 10 Nigerian stars who have relocated abroad to pursue other endeavours..
1. Helen paul
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Helen Paul, a well-known Nigerian comedienne, is also one of the country’s stars who has relocated to the United States of America. Despite this, she continues to make the country proud by hosting concerts both abroad and in Nigeria while representing the country. Furthermore, she is always in Nigeria for a project.
Helen Paul is a comedian, singer, and actress from Nigeria. She is also a stand-up comedian known as Tatafo, who has a voice range that makes her sound childish.
She holds a doctorate in Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos, and she also teaches at a university in the United States of America.
She was appointed as the HOD of the Arts, Music, and Entertainment department at Heart International University in the United States in 2022.
2. D’banj
Dapo Oyebanjo, a rave-making musician, is now based in Dubai with his wife Lineo and two children, despite remaining visible in the Nigerian entertainment scene.
The former Mo’Hits honcho talent is well-known for several things, including popularising the phrase ‘No Long Thing,’ which is also the title of his second album.
He was recently named the Official Afrobeat Artist of the AfroZons Dubai Soundoff, which took place in March this year, by Dubai’s Department for Economy and Tourism, DET, formerly known as Dubai Tourism.
D’banj has been an Afrobeat music icon for almost a decade, having garnered multiple international honours such as Best International Act (Africa) at the 2011 BET honours and Best-Selling African Artist at the 2014 World Music Awards.
3. Bukky Wright
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Bukky Wright, a veteran Nollywood actress, is also among the Nigerian celebs who have succumbed to the ‘Japa’ illness. Oluwabukola Sekinat Ajoke Wright, 56, was born on March 31, 1967, in Lagos, Nigeria. She is also an entrepreneur and politician.
The mother of two began her acting career in 1996, after graduating from the University of Lagos with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. She has been in various Nollywood films in both the Yoruba and English-speaking sectors. She is well-known for her appearance in Wale Adenuga’s popular television series Super Story. Meanwhile, there are claims that the Nigerian screen diva is now working as an Information Security Auditor in the United States.
Read Also: 10 Nigerian Musicians Who Have Been Arrested and Incarcerated
4. Regina Askia
On December 16, 1967, Regina Askia-Williams was born. The lovely Nigerian actress is also a model and beauty queen. She is now a qualified nurse in the United States, where she works as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). She works in New York City.
She also publishes and talks publicly in support of African outreach in the areas of children’s health, education, and economic development.
5. Omoni oboli
Omoni Oboli, the proud mother of three boys, has many feathers in her cap. She is a film director, producer, and digital filmmaker who attended the New York Film Academy and has written screenplays for several blockbuster films, including The Figurine (2009), Anchor Baby (2010), Fatal Imagination; Being Mrs Elliott; The First Lady; and Wives on Strike (2016). She appeared in and directed the comedy film Moms at War in 2018.
The actress and her family have moved to Canada. She is still very much a part of the Nigerian film business because she travels between the two nations when she has a project.
6. Laide Bakare
Laide Bakare is an actress and producer who has worked on films such as Mi’ ofoworola, Love You Forever, and Mi’ ofoworola 2. After spending time in both Nigeria and America, Laide revealed on social media in 2017 that she had become a permanent resident of the United States and now spends the majority of her time there.
7. Shade Omoniyi (Lepa Shandy)
Shade Omoniyi, also known as Lepa Shandy, is a Nigerian Yoruba film actress.
She is regarded as a pioneer in the Yoruba film industry. Her success in the profession gave her the nickname Lepa Shandy, after the role she played in the film of the same name.
After a failed marriage, the actress moved to Dublin, where she eventually remarried and had a kid.
8. Adekunle Gold
Adekunle Gold has left the country, and his reasons, like Tekno’s, remain unknown.
Gold, who is married to Simi and has a child with her, announced his move with a cryptic note on his Instagram page.
“90219 babies!” he wrote. “The zip code has changed, and so has the price, moafuckers!”
Interestingly, Gold and Simi had their first child in the United States roughly two years ago. The pair is now based in the United States and travels back and forth between the country and Nigeria.
9. Samklef
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Samuel Oguachuba, alias Samklef, is no slouch when it comes to composing music.
He has written and produced hit songs for musicians including as Olamide, Wizkid, and Simi.
Samklef is said to have produced a significant amount of Wizkid’s critically acclaimed album “Superstar.”
According to reports, Samklef now resides in the United States yet continues to produce Afrobeats music.
Last year, he boasted on social media that he and his manager earned $32 million.
10. Busola Dakolo
Busola Dakolo, famous photographer and wife of musician Timi Dakolo, is among the celebrities and artists who have relocated abroad.
The mother of two recently informed her supporters that she has relocated to the United Kingdom to further her studies.
She captioned a photo of herself posing inside a lecture classroom at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, “nothing is too late.”
Timi Dakolo currently splits his time between Leicester, England, where his wife and children live, and Nigeria, where he has business interests.
The rate at which Nigerians depart the country does not appear to be slowing any time soon.
There have been passionate disputes on social media about the merits and demerits of the ‘Japa’ phenomena, however some maintain that immigration is an age-old aspect in human existence.