On their tenth day at sea, the four Nigerian stowaways embarked on a treacherous journey, crossing the vast Atlantic Ocean in a tiny, confined space above the rudder of a cargo ship. The ship’s cramped quarters provided little room for them to move, and they had to endure harsh conditions during their clandestine voyage.
As days passed, their limited supply of food and water ran out, leaving them desperate and vulnerable in the middle of the unforgiving ocean. In their account, they revealed that in their struggle to survive, they resorted to drinking the salty seawater that crashed just meters below them. Miraculously, they managed to persist for an additional four days before their rescue.
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Their harrowing experience highlights the extreme risks some migrants are willing to take in pursuit of a better life. The treacherous voyage covered approximately 5,600 kilometers (3,500 miles), underscoring the lengths people go to escape challenging circumstances and seek hope and opportunity elsewhere.
After a stroke of fate and the efforts of the Brazilian federal police, they were eventually rescued at the southeastern port of Vitoria. The relief they felt at being saved from the perils of the ocean, however, soon gave way to surprise and realization.
The four men had initially hoped to reach Europe, but their dreams were shattered when they discovered they had, in fact, landed on the other side of the Atlantic – in Brazil. The unexpected turn of events left them grappling with new uncertainties and challenges.
Subsequently, two of the men chose to return to Nigeria upon their request. Meanwhile, 38-year-old Thankgod Opemipo Matthew Yeye and 35-year-old Roman Ebimene Friday from Bayelsa state decided to seek asylum in Brazil. The decision was born out of desperation, as they could no longer bear the economic hardship, political instability, and rampant crime that plagued their native Nigeria.
Nigeria, being Africa’s most populous country, had long-standing issues of violence and poverty, and kidnappings were endemic. Yeye, a pentecostal minister from Lagos state, shared how his once-promising peanut and palm oil farm had been destroyed by floods earlier that year, leaving him and his family homeless.
For Friday, the journey to Brazil began on June 27, when a fisherman friend rowed him to the stern of the Liberian-flagged Ken Wave, docked in Lagos. To his surprise, he found three other men already waiting there, hoping to set sail. The fear of the unknown haunted him, as he had never met these strangers before and worried they might throw him into the sea at any moment.
Once the ship finally set sail, the four stowaways had to navigate the constant fear of being discovered by the ship’s crew, who could potentially send them to a watery grave. This fear led them to take drastic measures to remain hidden throughout their perilous journey.
Despite their resourcefulness, spending two weeks within spitting distance of the vast Atlantic Ocean was fraught with danger. To avoid falling into the water, Friday and his companions ingeniously rigged up a net around the rudder and tied themselves securely to it with a rope.
During their time at sea, they caught glimpses of the ocean’s wonders, including “big fish like whales and sharks,” which served as both a marvel and a reminder of their perilous circumstances. Yet, these awe-inspiring sights could not alleviate the cramped conditions and the constant noise of the ship’s engine, making sleep a rare and risky commodity.
Finally, the day of their rescue arrived, and they were filled with overwhelming relief and gratitude. For Friday, it was a moment of immense happiness, knowing that their struggle and bravery had not been in vain.
Father Paolo Parise, a priest at the Sao Paulo shelter where they sought refuge, had encountered other stowaway cases in the past, but he had never witnessed one as dangerous and courageous as theirs. He recognized that their journey was a testament to the lengths people would go to in search of a new beginning and an improved life.
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