Gbadewonuola Olateju Oyelakin known professionally as Teju Babyface , started his career as both an actor and a comedian, but his first...
Gbadewonuola Olateju Oyelakin known professionally as Teju Babyface, started his career as both an actor and a comedian, but his first major break was the creation of his hit talk show, The Teju Babyface Show, which he still produces and runs on TV stations across the globe.
Speaking at a recent event which was covered by Kemi Filani Blog, the comedian told an inspiring story of how he had his major breakthrough after failing at Stand up comedy.
Here is an exclusive excerpt from his speech:
Talent is never enough, Talent left unattended to will get you nowhere.....
Before I had my major breakthrough, I suffered and it all started when Fela Durotoye paid me a visit at my newly rented 4 bed room apartment then in Surulere in 2007.
I felt I had arrived, I furnished the apartment, got my car and was living well but when Egbon, Fela Durotoye showed up, he inspected it, nodded and said "Aburo, when the time comes to let go, will you be able to leave this house with nothing..." I said ehn, and he repeated himself and I jokingly responded with of course.....
And so he left.
Things became tough, I wasn't making it in the stand up comedy world..I would crack jokes and people won't laugh..... and then one day while thinking about my life, I remembered Egbon Fela's words. I knew how much I rented the four bedroom apartment so letting go was difficult but the holy spirit wouldn't let me rest.
I eventually yielded and reached out to a friend of mine who just got married and needed a home. He and his wife didn't believe that I could let go of such an expensive apartment. They first went to pray about it before accepting it and everything in it, I only left with a box.
Same thing with my car, I sowed to a Man of God and i began to trek and use okada to move up and down. It was quite an embarrassing and humbling experience.
There was even a particular day I was on a bike and while stuck in traffic, another bike man who had a passenger that recognized my face from TV drove by. The passenger looked at me twice, rubbed his eyes to be double sure it was me and said "Tejubaby face, is this you? So you are even a broke man, you no even get money, na bike you dey carry up and down, abeg let me snap with you , make people see...."
It wasn't long after that the lord gave me the idea of the TejuBaby TV Show and at first, I thought it was impossible cos to run alone for an hour on air cost N3.5million, where would I get such money. But the lord sent help....and look where we are today!
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