He recounted how his hopes were dashed by someone who
promised to get him gigs in the global movie scene.
The 46-year-old recalled selling his cars and practically
gifted out his other belongings with high expectations when he got to the US
but that was dashed two days after he arrived with only S1,500 in his
possession.
Discussing with Teju Babyface on his comedy podcast, ‘King
of Talks’, Benjamin noted he had to settle for the life of an Uber driver after
a church member gave him a car. And with the proceeds, he was able to pay his
bills.
He said: “I got to America on a promise that I had some gigs
waiting for me. So I thought I was going to have a soft landing there. I packed
up everything from Nigeria, bought a one-way ticket, and came to America.
“I was put in a well-furnished house and all of that. Then
two days later, the person who I was supposed to book a deal with said to me,
‘Those our financiers have pulled out. They have an issue.’ So, I said, what do
I do? He was like, ‘From next month on, you will have to start paying rent in
this house.’ The amount of the one-month rent was equivalent to a one-year rent
in Nigeria.
“I’m like, ‘I’m not earning any money so what do I do?’ I
don’t know what to do. So, shot into that life, I had to figure out what to do.
“I had nowhere to go. Nothing to turn to. My phone was
buzzing, like, ‘When are you coming back to Nigeria? We have this gig for you.’
Teju, $1,500 was all I came to America with. How do I buy a ticket to go back
to Nigeria?
“My life pattern then was so disorganised in the sense that
I didn’t have a proper saving culture. With all the money I was making in
Nigeria, my life was a mess.
“I sold my cars and gave out like 90 per cent of all my
belongings in Nigeria. I was like, I’m going to America to live a good life and
all of that stuff.
“How do I buy a ticket to go back to Nigeria? Lord, what do
I do? And God said to me that ‘Welcome to the life that I arranged for you. I
needed to break you away from your comfort zone so that I can build you.’
“I was like, ‘No, no, no …’ He was like, ‘Yes, welcome to
it. So, here you are, no way to earn a living. How do you move forward?’
“Then, sometimes I will be in my room crying. I’m like,
‘Lord where do I go from here?’ And for some reason every month I get to pay
the rent.
“I got connected to my church. And then someone gave me a
car. I’m like, what do I do with the car? And they said Uber. I was driving for
Uber and Lyft to pay my bills.”
Despite the challenging circumstances, Benjamin’s resilience shone through. He eventually received a car from someone and decided to join Uber as a driver. He encountered many Nigerians during his time as an Uber driver, who would recognize him and express their support.
“I carried a lot of Nigerians, my name on the Uber App was Joseph. The moment they get in or three minutes into the journey, they know I’m the one,” he said. “One woman even had to call her husband, and she ended up taking pictures with me. I even had some people say to me ‘Boss, you will make it.'”
Joseph Benjamin’s story sheds light on the struggles faced by actors and serves as a reminder that success often requires perseverance and resilience.
His story highlights the challenges faced by many actors in the industry who experience setbacks in their careers. It serves as a reminder that success is not always easily attainable, and individuals may have to find alternative means to support themselves when faced with unexpected obstacles.
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