Liza Gatsby and Peter Jenkins, two American tourists, have shared their remarkable story of extending their 10-day transit visa in Nigeria to a 36-year stay. In an interview with content creator David Nkwa, they revealed that their initial plan was to visit Nigeria briefly in 1988, but they were captivated by the country’s unique opportunities in science and wildlife conservation.
“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,” Gatsby said.
The couple was impressed by Nigeria’s hospitality, roads, and living conditions, which they found superior to those in America at the time. “I’ll tell you what I like about Nigerians… They would say, ‘hey! Oyinbo, come in na, sit down, make we talk. Make I go buy you a drink.’ That is the difference between Nigeria and the rest of Africa,” Jenkins noted.
They became involved in various conservation projects, including founding a nonprofit organization called Pandas, which focuses on ranching monkey drills in Cross River State. “I don’t think that one species is more important than another… The drill is a scarce species, it’s one of the rarest animals in Africa,” Gatsby explained.
Gatsby also highlighted the challenges facing Nigeria, including a lack of patriotism and neglect of the country’s culture, heritage, and traditional practices. “Nigerians don’t have pride in Nigeria’s natural heritage… People don’t take pride in their cultural identity, language, traditional herbs, and healing,” she said.
Jenkins added, “I love Nigeria, this is a great place. Come and live in Calabar and be at rest.”
