12-19-2019, 11:16 AM
"Your government is not good" Debby, whose marriage to a younger Nigerian man has Nigerians talking, speaks to LITV on what it's been like living in Nigeria for the past 16 months
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Debby, whose marriage to a younger Nigerian man named Michael has Nigerians talking, spoke to LITV about what it's been like living in Nigeria for the past 16 months.
The interracial couple were on LITV to speak with host Hero Daniels about their love life, their journey so far, and their future plans.
Asked what it's been like living in Nigeria for the past 16 months, Debby said: "Challenging. Very challenging."
She added: "Entertaining, amusing, a little bit scary at times. But, overall, it's been very interesting.
"I find that the culture of Nigerian people is beautiful. Nigerian people amaze me just at their tenacity. Like, they sort of get up every day, smile, no matter how hard life is. And I find the people exceptionally friendly. Just the general laidbackness of Nigerians. You know, they're just such beautiful people.
"But then, obviously, the country comes with its own challenges. You know you've got your government side which is not good. You've got the poverty side, you've got the rich and the poor living alongside each other, and it's very very diverse sort of country. But it's been very challenging."
![[Image: 5dfb1c11ace59.PNG]](https://alexis.lindaikejisblog.com/photos/shares/5dfb1c11ace59.PNG)
Michael was asked if he's been giving Debby Nigerian foods and he replied: "A lot."
Debby interjects, "I've been cooking Nigerian food. I cook Nigerian food."
"I've taught her not to only eat it but to also cook it," Michael adds, laughing.
Michael was asked what he meant by his initial statement that Debby "is now a good Nigerian wife" and he said: "Like, especially the cooking aspect. She always wants to do the cooking. And being that I like eating mostly Nigerian foods, like poundo yam, banga soup, which she can probably cook very well now. So, I'm very proud of her."
When asked if she's been married before, Debby, 42, replies: "No."
Michael, 35, has also never been married before.
Michael said Debby, who loves her privacy, initially found the extended family culture of Nigerians challenging. He said she had to adapt to him having a lot of extended family members and it was challenging at first when some extended family member of his, whom she didn't know, came around.
"But she's comfortable with everyone now," Michael adds.
![[Image: 5dfb1c3039ac5.PNG]](https://alexis.lindaikejisblog.com/photos/shares/5dfb1c3039ac5.PNG)
As for her job, Debby was asked if she gave it up and "sacrificed her whole life to be here with Michael" and she replied: "More or less."
She adds: "But, I have my own business. I have an online sports business which, fortunately, I'm able to still operate from here."
She adds: "I do sports promotions, sports contracts for names I can't even mention because they're too big. So, yes, I'm very very busy. And it's very nice to have that flexibility, to still be able to work, you know, from Nigeria."
When asked if she has plans of remaining in Nigeria, Debby said: "When I came to Nigeria initially, I was just going to come for a few weeks. And then I decided that there was a lot of opportunities here for us to invest and to change people's lives. And so we started to look at aspects like education. And also introducing specialist sports academies. Because I believe there are very very talented people in Nigeria that cannot get exposure.
"So athletes, gymnasts, etcetera, who really need to be out there on a world scale. So being able to offer specialist academy where we can get these people in and promote them, is obviously very important."
She revealed they've also set up their own foundation "to help the local Delta community and to improve the Ankwani and all of those areas on education and quality of life "
"It sounds like you're doing more for us than our politicians are." LITV host Hero Daniels said.
"Of course. Of course," Debby replied.
![[Image: 5dfb1c7faa373.PNG]](https://alexis.lindaikejisblog.com/photos/shares/5dfb1c7faa373.PNG)
Asked for how long Debby intends to remain in Nigeria before travelling back to New Zealand, Michael said: "Initially, our plan was, try to do much here, spend much years here, then we can travel out to New Zealand or UK which is her origin."
Michael said he's had his visa to New Zealand since June this year but "we're still looking to do a lot of things here."
He adds: "But the only area we're having problem with is the security aspect because she can't go out (in Nigeria) without me or escort, because of some... Because of that, it's limiting her movement and also our movement.
"Of recent, we had a bit of security challenge, which, after then, we just decided to go back to New Zealand."
"You're saying the reason why you want to go back to New Zealand is because of the security challenges here," Hero Daniels asked.
"Yes," Michael and Debby replied in unison
"So, left to you, you'd rather you and Debby stay in Nigeria?"
"Yes." Michael insisted.
They both added that they are planning to relocate to New Zealand only because of the security challenges.
Watch the full interview below.
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Debby, whose marriage to a younger Nigerian man named Michael has Nigerians talking, spoke to LITV about what it's been like living in Nigeria for the past 16 months.
The interracial couple were on LITV to speak with host Hero Daniels about their love life, their journey so far, and their future plans.
Asked what it's been like living in Nigeria for the past 16 months, Debby said: "Challenging. Very challenging."
She added: "Entertaining, amusing, a little bit scary at times. But, overall, it's been very interesting.
"I find that the culture of Nigerian people is beautiful. Nigerian people amaze me just at their tenacity. Like, they sort of get up every day, smile, no matter how hard life is. And I find the people exceptionally friendly. Just the general laidbackness of Nigerians. You know, they're just such beautiful people.
"But then, obviously, the country comes with its own challenges. You know you've got your government side which is not good. You've got the poverty side, you've got the rich and the poor living alongside each other, and it's very very diverse sort of country. But it's been very challenging."
Michael was asked if he's been giving Debby Nigerian foods and he replied: "A lot."
Debby interjects, "I've been cooking Nigerian food. I cook Nigerian food."
"I've taught her not to only eat it but to also cook it," Michael adds, laughing.
Michael was asked what he meant by his initial statement that Debby "is now a good Nigerian wife" and he said: "Like, especially the cooking aspect. She always wants to do the cooking. And being that I like eating mostly Nigerian foods, like poundo yam, banga soup, which she can probably cook very well now. So, I'm very proud of her."
When asked if she's been married before, Debby, 42, replies: "No."
Michael, 35, has also never been married before.
Michael said Debby, who loves her privacy, initially found the extended family culture of Nigerians challenging. He said she had to adapt to him having a lot of extended family members and it was challenging at first when some extended family member of his, whom she didn't know, came around.
"But she's comfortable with everyone now," Michael adds.
As for her job, Debby was asked if she gave it up and "sacrificed her whole life to be here with Michael" and she replied: "More or less."
She adds: "But, I have my own business. I have an online sports business which, fortunately, I'm able to still operate from here."
She adds: "I do sports promotions, sports contracts for names I can't even mention because they're too big. So, yes, I'm very very busy. And it's very nice to have that flexibility, to still be able to work, you know, from Nigeria."
When asked if she has plans of remaining in Nigeria, Debby said: "When I came to Nigeria initially, I was just going to come for a few weeks. And then I decided that there was a lot of opportunities here for us to invest and to change people's lives. And so we started to look at aspects like education. And also introducing specialist sports academies. Because I believe there are very very talented people in Nigeria that cannot get exposure.
"So athletes, gymnasts, etcetera, who really need to be out there on a world scale. So being able to offer specialist academy where we can get these people in and promote them, is obviously very important."
She revealed they've also set up their own foundation "to help the local Delta community and to improve the Ankwani and all of those areas on education and quality of life "
"It sounds like you're doing more for us than our politicians are." LITV host Hero Daniels said.
"Of course. Of course," Debby replied.
Asked for how long Debby intends to remain in Nigeria before travelling back to New Zealand, Michael said: "Initially, our plan was, try to do much here, spend much years here, then we can travel out to New Zealand or UK which is her origin."
Michael said he's had his visa to New Zealand since June this year but "we're still looking to do a lot of things here."
He adds: "But the only area we're having problem with is the security aspect because she can't go out (in Nigeria) without me or escort, because of some... Because of that, it's limiting her movement and also our movement.
"Of recent, we had a bit of security challenge, which, after then, we just decided to go back to New Zealand."
"You're saying the reason why you want to go back to New Zealand is because of the security challenges here," Hero Daniels asked.
"Yes," Michael and Debby replied in unison
"So, left to you, you'd rather you and Debby stay in Nigeria?"
"Yes." Michael insisted.
They both added that they are planning to relocate to New Zealand only because of the security challenges.
Watch the full interview below.