Efia Odo is a Ghanaian actress and socialite
Ghanaian socialite and actress Efia Odo has revealed that she prefers living in Ghana to the United States, stating that her life in the country has made her happier, more grounded and a better version of herself.
Speaking during a TikTok live session on November 3, 2026, Efia Odo mentioned that her preference for Ghana was largely based on the freedom and personal fulfilment she experiences while living there.
“Honestly, whether you choose to live in Ghana or America depends on where you feel most comfortable. I love living in Ghana. I have more freedom; I am happier and more grounded. Living here has really helped me become a better version of myself,” she said.
She also praised Ghanaian and African cultures for placing a strong emphasis on respect, particularly among children when interacting with adults.
“I feel like in America, the freedom is too much and the disrespect is too much. In Ghana, we're taught to be very respectful people. I think that's what Africa as a whole is; we're really respectful people, especially the children. We're really respectful children,” she shared.
According to her, some American children are less respectful towards adults and teachers, contrasting this with the values of respect she believes are instilled in Ghanaian children.
“American kids, they lack respect. They don't know how to talk to people and grown-ups. They talk to their teachers anyhow, like they talk to grown-ups anyhow. So a lot of American kids are very disrespectful,” she noted.
However, Efia Odo acknowledged that one thing she admires about the United States is the freedom it gives individuals, including children, to express their opinions and speak up when they feel uncomfortable.
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She argued that in Ghana, children are sometimes discouraged from speaking up about issues affecting them because they are expected to remain quiet and show respect to adults.
“The one thing I love about America is that they teach you how to express yourself. If you don't like something, you can speak up. They don't stop you from standing up for yourself,” she stated.
Efia Odo said the culture of silencing children in the name of respect could expose them to abuse and manipulation, particularly when they are unable to report wrongdoing by adults.
“In Ghana, when something happens to you, you can’t talk about it because you’re a child, but that's not okay. Sometimes there are things that an adult doesn't know that a kid might know, or sometimes somebody is doing something to me and I want to talk about it, but I'm scared to talk about it,” she said.
She expressed concern that some young girls experience sexual abuse and other forms of mistreatment but remain silent because they fear being labelled disrespectful if they speak out.
“A lot of young girls are being oppressed, raped and manipulated in so many ways, but they cannot speak about what is happening to them because they will be seen as disrespectful,” she said.
She further argued that constantly discouraging children from expressing themselves could affect their confidence as adults, making it difficult for them to speak up about their feelings and experiences.
According to her, children should be taught to respect adults while also being given the confidence and freedom to express themselves, especially when something is wrong.
“You grow up as an adult and you become timid. And you wonder why a lot of people don't know how to express themselves when they're adults, because when they were younger, they were taught that you can't express yourself. You're not allowed to express yourself,” she added.
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