VITÓRIA, Brazil — Two of the four rescued Nigerian stowaways have recounted how they endured 14 days on a ship’s rudder by consuming their urine before being saved off the coast of Brazil.
The men embarked on a 3,500-mile (5,600-kilometer) perilous journey from Lagos, Nigeria, to Vitória, Brazil, in a desperate bid to escape the economic hardship and political instability in their homeland.
Originally hoping to reach Europe, they stowed away above the rudder of a Liberian-flagged cargo ship.
As the ship voyaged towards South America, they ran out of food and water, forcing them to resort to unimaginable measures.
“It was a terrible experience for me. On board, it is not easy. I was shaking, so scared. But I’m here,” said Thankgod Yeye, 38, one of the stowaways.
Roman Friday, 35, another survivor, described how they rigged up a net around the rudder to prevent falling into the ocean filled with “big fish like whales and sharks.”
The four men were rescued by Brazilian federal police in the southeastern port of Vitória two weeks after setting sail on June 27, 2023.
Sleep was a rare and risky occurrence due to the cramped conditions and the engine noise.
Two of the rescued stowaways opted to return to Nigeria, while Yeye and Friday have applied for asylum in Brazil.
Yeye, a Pentecostal minister whose farm was destroyed by floods, expressed hope for a better future in Brazil, citing the dire circumstances that had driven him to take such extreme measures.
Father Paolo Parise, a priest at the Sao Paulo shelter where the victims were interviewed, underscored the profound desperation behind their actions, stating that he had never seen a dangerous case. “People do unimaginable and hazardous things,” he said.
The story of these stowaways highlights the severe economic challenges and political unrest in parts of Nigeria that compel individuals to risk their lives for a better life.
It also raises questions about global inequalities and the urgent need to address them.
Yeye’s and Friday’s survival is a testament to human resilience and a stark reminder of the lengths some are forced to go in pursuit of safety and opportunity.
As they begin their new lives in Brazil, the world is left to grapple with the complexities and the human cost of migration, and the necessity to foster empathy, understanding, and action.
