Life Is Better Here in Nigeria - US Tourists Reveal Why They Stay Backed, Share Experiences

Date: 05-09-2024 6:30 am (1 week ago) | Author: kacy lee
- at 5-09-2024 06:30 AM (1 week ago)
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Liza Gatsby and Peter Jenkins, two American tourists, shared their unique story of staying in Nigeria for 36 years after initially arriving on transit visas in 1988.

Their visas were meant to expire after just ten days, but the pair decided to remain in the country, citing the hospitality, good roads, and living conditions in Nigeria as reasons for their decision.

According to Gatsby and Jenkins, they found Nigeria to be more appealing than the U.S. at the time, leading them to stay long past the expiration of their visas.

Their experience highlights an unconventional and positive perspective on Nigeria during the late 1980s, contrasting with common narratives about the country’s challenges during that period.

The pair made the revelation in an interview with a content creator, David Nkwa, monitored on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

The American tourists explained that their initial plan wasn’t to overstay their visas until they saw the need to save drill monkeys in the country because they were impressed by the dominance of interesting opportunities in science and wildlife conservation.

They were equally thrilled by the nicety and the spirit of friendliness extended to them by Nigerians, which further strengthened their resolve to stay put.

“I’ll tell you what I like about Nigerians. Okay, that’s what makes Nigeria different from every other country in Africa. They would say ‘hey! Oyinbo, come in na, sit down, make we talk. Make I go buy you the drink.’ That is the difference between Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

There were a lot of interesting opportunities in areas of Science and Wildlife Conservation that we became involved in, and we’re still here 36 years later. We arrived with a 10-day transit visa, and we have been here for 36 years.

“We founded a nonprofit organisation called Pandas that ranches monkey drills in Bano and Calabar in Cross River State. I don’t think that one species is more important than another, just like I don’t think that human beings are more important than drills or elephants are more important than whales; I think we are all of equal value, and the drill is a scarce species, it’s one of the rarest animals in Africa and it’s one of those animals you never thought you would even see when we were traveling across Africa, you know I had my Wildlife Field Guide and you look at the pictures,” .
Gatsby said

For his part, Jenkins spoke on why they chose to settle in Calabar. He stated that they decided after careful research, which revealed that aside from Cameroon, the Cross River capital was another place for monkey drills.

According to him, no scientist or tourist had discovered that those animals were inhabiting the region until 1987 when they consulted the locals in the community and raised funds to make it habitable while conserving the rare species of monkeys, giraffes and other animals.

“I love Nigeria, this is a great place. Come and live in Calabar and be at rest. When we got here, the population of Nigeria in the early ’90s and the late 80s was around 65 million.

“The amount of natural resources that were still intact was extraordinary, and the density of wildlife generally in the forest was better compared to today. In fact, it’s appallingly low now, but in those days, this was a wonderful place to do research. Communities were very welcoming in those days; life was cheap; here, diesel, which is what our Land Rover ran on, was 35 Kobo, and with 29 kobo to the market, you would come back with two heavy bags with change in the pocket.

“We were comfortable and found Nigeria habitable. It was the best-value country on this continent by far. The food was cheap, the road was perfect. There was no gallop deeper than a bottle cap.” .
Jenkins stated


Posted: at 5-09-2024 06:30 AM (1 week ago) | Addicted Hero
- angesco at 5-09-2024 07:08 AM (1 week ago)
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WHITE  foreigners living in Nigeria are treated better AND given more respect by authorities in Nigeria.

They belong to NO TRIBE and so do  not suffer TRIBALISM.

See how quickly the Nigerian officer was SACKED for demanding bribe from the WHITE LADY  on her bike. The same Nigeria Policemen openly DEMAND bribe from Nigerians EVERYDAY. How many are sacked???
Posted: at 5-09-2024 07:08 AM (1 week ago) | Gistmaniac
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- kp45 at 5-09-2024 07:24 AM (1 week ago)
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Because they are white
Posted: at 5-09-2024 07:24 AM (1 week ago) | Addicted Hero
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- fineboy77 at 5-09-2024 09:24 AM (1 week ago)
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Make we tell them? Grin

Posted: at 5-09-2024 09:24 AM (1 week ago) | Addicted Hero
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- Holopid at 5-09-2024 11:16 AM (1 week ago)
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Ofcourse Life is better in Nigeria bcuse ur White ass  is being taken Care of!how i Wish ur fellow White folks would learn to Take Care of black Folks in ur continent as Well!
Posted: at 5-09-2024 11:16 AM (1 week ago) | Gistmaniac
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- angesco at 5-09-2024 05:34 PM (1 week ago)
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Quote from: Holopid on  5-09-2024 11:16 AM
Ofcourse Life is better in Nigeria bcuse ur White ass  is being taken Care of!how i Wish ur fellow White folks would learn to Take Care of black Folks in ur continent as Well!

They do. And that why Africans are all leaving their homelands in huge numbers for Europe!
Posted: at 5-09-2024 05:34 PM (1 week ago) | Gistmaniac
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fire TRENDING GISTS fire