• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
How we spent 36 years in Nigeria with 10-day visas — American tourists

How we spent 36 years in Nigeria with 10-day visas — American tourists

9mobile Changes Name, Logo

9mobile Changes Name, Logo

MARITAL DESERTION: ABANDONING A MARRIAGE PARTNER OR RUNNING AWAY FROM MARRIAGE

MARITAL DESERTION: ABANDONING A MARRIAGE PARTNER OR RUNNING AWAY FROM MARRIAGE

Regulatory Compliance of Cryptocurrency: A Comparative Analysis of Nigeria Law vis- a-vis Global Law

Regulatory Compliance of Cryptocurrency: A Comparative Analysis of Nigeria Law vis- a-vis Global Law

NNPC Boss Ojulari Allegedly Forced to Resign

Presidency opens up on Alleged ‘Forceful Resignation’ of Ojulari as NNPC Chairman

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s brother dies

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s brother dies

NNPC Boss Ojulari Allegedly Forced to Resign

NNPC Boss Ojulari Allegedly Forced to Resign

FG Plans Mandatory Drug Tests for Undergraduate Students, Reveals Commencement Date

FG Plans Mandatory Drug Tests for Undergraduate Students, Reveals Commencement Date

Angry Youths loot CBEX Office in Ibadan [Video]

EFCC Gives Update on CBEX Funds Recovery

Dino Melaye dumps PDP, says ‘Party is impotent’

Dino Melaye dumps PDP, says ‘Party is impotent’

When Wolves Wear Sheep’s Clothing by Fatimah Hamid

Killer Of Kwara Final-Year Student Sentenced To Death

Girlfriend stabs Boyfriend to Death in Ondo for Cheating

Girlfriend stabs Boyfriend to Death in Ondo for Cheating

CAC sets Deadline to delist 100,000 Dormant Companies

CAC sets Deadline to delist 100,000 Dormant Companies

  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Editorial Policy
Friday, August 8, 2025
  • Login
iDeemlawful
  • Home
  • News
  • Featured
  • Politics
  • Life Style
  • Advertise with Us
  • Opinion
  • Campus
No Result
View All Result
iDeemlawful
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
iDeemlawful
  • Home
  • News
  • Featured
  • Politics
  • Commentary
  • Editorial
  • Campus
Home Breaking News

How we spent 36 years in Nigeria with 10-day visas — American tourists

by iDeemlawful
March 6, 2025
A A
How we spent 36 years in Nigeria with 10-day visas — American tourists
FacebookTwitterWhatsapp

Two American tourists, Liza Gatsby, and Peter Jenkins, have recounted what led them to spend over 36 years in Nigeria instead of the 10-day transit visas that were approved for them in 1988

According to them, they never planned to stay in Nigeria beyond their approved days of visitation until they saw the need to save drill monkeys in the country because they were impressed by the dominance of interesting opportunities in areas of Science and Wildlife Conservation, the roads, the hospitality of Nigerians and the living condition that appeared better compared to America in those days.

“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 drink.’ That is the difference between Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

RelatedPosts

Nigerian Government sets New Entry Age for Admission to JSS 1

Tinubu Gives Fresh Appointment to Babangida’s Son, Others

FULL TEXT: Tinubu’s tribute for Buhari at special FEC

Tinubu renames Maiduguri Varsity after Buhari

“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, one of the tourists said.

Speaking on why Calabar was their place of choice, Jenkins said they had done their research and that aside from Cameroon, Calabar was another place for monkey drills, stressing that no scientist or tourist had discovered that those animals were living there until 1987 when they consulted the local people in the community and got funding to make it habitable while conserving the rare species of Monkeys and other animals including girafees.

Jenkins added, “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.”

Meanwhile, Gabsty identified the lack of patriotism as the challenge facing many Nigerians while berating the growing negligence of the country’s culture, heritage, identity, music, traditional herbs, and healing.

“Nigerians don’t have pride in Nigeria’s natural heritage. I think that’s a big issue because that’s what it takes to try to make a difference. People don’t take pride in their cultural identity, language, traditional herbs, and healing.

“There was this huge wealth of knowledge when we came here on traditional healing and herbs from the forest, and that was another thing that put value on the natural resources here, but which of these old herbalists have an apprentice who is learning from them and when these old guys are gone, all that knowledge is going to be lost?

“You go to the market now; we see herbal teas and herbal cures imported from China. How do we know that those things work? What’s wrong with our traditional ones here?” She queried.

Original texts supply: THE PUNCH

Tags: Nigeria Government
Previous Post

Tinubu’s Govt Begins Sale of 50kg Bag of Rice at Subsidized Rate

Next Post

President Bola Tinubu reveals when fuel will be available

iDeemlawful

iDeemlawful

Related Posts

NNPC Boss Ojulari Allegedly Forced to Resign
Breaking News

Presidency opens up on Alleged ‘Forceful Resignation’ of Ojulari as NNPC Chairman

NNPC Boss Ojulari Allegedly Forced to Resign
Breaking News

NNPC Boss Ojulari Allegedly Forced to Resign

FG Plans Mandatory Drug Tests for Undergraduate Students, Reveals Commencement Date
Breaking News

FG Plans Mandatory Drug Tests for Undergraduate Students, Reveals Commencement Date

Angry Youths loot CBEX Office in Ibadan [Video]
Breaking News

EFCC Gives Update on CBEX Funds Recovery

When Wolves Wear Sheep’s Clothing by Fatimah Hamid
Breaking News

Killer Of Kwara Final-Year Student Sentenced To Death

Girlfriend stabs Boyfriend to Death in Ondo for Cheating
Breaking News

Girlfriend stabs Boyfriend to Death in Ondo for Cheating

Court orders NYSC to allow Skirts for Female Corps Members
Breaking News

Court orders NYSC to allow Skirts for Female Corps Members

Nigerian Government sets New Entry Age for Admission to JSS 1
Breaking News

Nigerian Government sets New Entry Age for Admission to JSS 1

13 Students from Kwara Injured in Kebbi Road Accident
Breaking News

13 Students from Kwara Injured in Kebbi Road Accident

FULL TEXT: Tinubu’s tribute for Buhari at special FEC
Breaking News

FULL TEXT: Tinubu’s tribute for Buhari at special FEC

Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

iDeemlawful

Copyright © 2019–2025 Deemlawful Media

  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Editorial Policy

Connect With Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Featured
  • Politics
  • Life Style
  • Advertise with Us
  • Opinion
  • Campus

Copyright © 2019–2025 Deemlawful Media

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In