Eleyele River crossing: Safety can’t be left to luck

At about 7:30 p.m., the boat was halfway across the Eleyele River when its engine died.

For a few seconds, there was only the sound of water against the plastic hull. Then the wind began to rise. Passengers shifted uneasily on the wooden planks. I looked towards the far bank—close enough to see, yet suddenly too far.

The operator did not panic. He reassured us and tried the engine again; it wouldn’t work, so we waited. Minutes later, another boat appeared and towed us to safety.

We reached the other side. But the crossing had changed for me.

I had used the Eleyele water route for years. It was fast, cheap and familiar. That evening, however, I understood the question beneath every N100 ride: what happens when the river that carries hundreds of people to work, school and home turns hostile?

By 7:30 a.m., the queue at the Eleyele River crossing is already growing. Workers, traders, schoolchildren and other residents wait for their turn to board boats connecting Eleyele with communities around Apete and Awotan in Ibadan, Oyo State.

For many, the crossing is part of their daily routine. A journey that could cost considerably more by road takes only a few minutes by water, with passengers paying N100 only for a ride.

The service connects residents of Idunnu, Oba-Ido, Alakuta, Aderogba, Ogo Oluwa and Idi Mango, among other adjoining communities. Some use it to get to work, others to school, markets, churches and other destinations across the river.

Sodiq, a commercial motorcyclist familiar with the route, estimates that between 700 and 1,000 passenger journeys cross the river daily. The steady movement of boats and the queues of commuters waiting to board offer a glimpse of how much the surrounding communities depend on the service.

For 22-year-old Medina, who lives in Alakuta and works around Jericho, the river crossing is more than a convenient alternative. It helps her stretch her monthly income.

She earns N60,000 a month. Before considering the water route, the cost of travelling to work by road was a major concern. According to her estimate, the journey through Awotan, Apete and Eleyele would require at least three commercial motorcycle rides and cost about N3,000 daily.

At that rate, 30 days of commuting would cost her N90,000, exceeding her monthly salary.

The boat crossing changes the calculation.

Medina says she usually spends less than N500 on her daily return journey, although the amount sometimes rises to between N600 and N700. From the landing point, she walks home. She also benefits from an informal arrangement among passengers who know one another: sometimes one person pays another’s fare, with the favour returned on another day.

Mr Adeshina, a civil servant who works at the Oyo State Secretariat, has used the route for more than four years, since moving into a house less than a kilometre from the river. He describes the river as a blessing, saying it has drastically reduced his transport expenses.

His wife, a trader, also uses the crossing daily to get to her business, while their three children rely on it to get to school. For the family, the river is not an occasional shortcut. It is part of the daily routine that keeps work, trade and education within reach.

The fare was previously N50 but increased to N100 a few months before this report, following a rise in fuel prices. Even at the new rate, the crossing remains considerably cheaper than making the entire journey by road.

For residents earning modest incomes, that difference can determine whether a journey is affordable.

The importance of the water route is closely connected to the history of Apete Bridge. On August 26, 2011, torrential rainfall caused devastating flooding across parts of Ibadan. The Eleyele Reservoir overflowed, while several communities suffered the loss of over 120 lives and property. Apete Bridge also collapsed during the disaster, disrupting movement between communities.

The Oyo State Government later established the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project, with World Bank funding and technical support, to strengthen flood-risk management and improve infrastructure.

With the bridge gone, residents had to rely on alternative road routes. Some travelled through Fanawole, Osajin, Ajibode and the University of Ibadan axis to connect with Sango and Ojoo. Others used the Lifeforte, Adeosun and Unity Road axis to reach Ologuneru, then travel through Eleyele to reach other parts of Ibadan.

Restoring the bridge was not immediate. A wooden crossing was first constructed to allow pedestrians, particularly students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, to pass. Rain later washed it away. Another temporary bridge was subsequently built, but that too was washed away.

A better bridge was eventually rebuilt, along with improvements to the road linking Awotan. By then, however, the river crossing had become an important alternative for residents living close to the water. Even after the road connection improved, many continued using the boats because the journey was faster and cheaper.

For them, the river is not necessarily the only way across. It is often the more practical one.

The route’s convenience comes with a painful history. On February 10, 2015, five people drowned after a canoe capsized while returning from Eleyele during a windstorm and heavy rainfall. They were two couples from two families and a woman visiting one of them.

Among the victims was Nafiu Tunde Yusuf, chairman of the Idunnu Community Landlords’ Association, being the community closest to the river crossing.

Yusuf was known for helping residents cross the water. He had learnt to paddle and sometimes ferried people when regular canoe operators had stopped for the day.

But on that journey, he was among those who did not make it back.

He died alongside his wife, Moriliat Alaba Yusuf.

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The other couple, Sulaiman Ahmed and his wife, Mulikat Ahmed, also drowned. The fifth victim was Ramotalai Mudashiru, who was visiting the Yusuf family.

A report by Nigerian Tribune at the time quoted Martins Akinyosoye, then security committee chairman of Awotan Community, as saying that eyewitnesses attributed the incident to storm waves.

Yusuf and his wife left behind three children.

The tragedy involved a traditional canoe, not the motorised passenger boats commonly used for the crossing today. But the memory of that day remains a sobering reminder of how quickly an ordinary journey across the water can turn fatal.

Today, the crossing is operated by about 10 to 15 boat operators. Their activities become particularly busy on weekday mornings. Ajetunmobi, a commercial motorcyclist familiar with the route, says activity usually begins around 7:30a.m. and remains busy until about 10 a.m.

The rush picks up again later in the day as workers and other commuters return home. Boat operations can continue until about 8:30 p.m. Weekends are generally quieter because many workers and schoolchildren are not travelling to their usual destinations, although churchgoers still use the crossing on Sundays.

The boats are motorised and have plastic bodies, foam padding and flat wooden seats. A commonly observed arrangement has five wooden planks, with about three passengers sitting on each plank. This gives an approximate capacity of 15 passengers, although the number varies from one boat to another.

There are no conventional backrests. Passengers sit on the planks, sometimes with children on their laps. In some instances, operators ask adults travelling with more than one child to let the children sit together rather than carry several of them on their laps. Passengers are also asked to adjust their positions when necessary to distribute weight and keep the boat balanced.

The crossing can take less than a minute when the operator accelerates faster. At other times, it takes between two and three minutes, depending on passenger load, water conditions, approaching boats and how the operator regulates the engine.

At quieter periods, operators sometimes wait until they have enough passengers to make a trip worthwhile. Those in a hurry can pay for additional seats.

Life jackets are available at the crossing, and some operators insist that passengers wear them. However, they are not used consistently. Some regular passengers, including children, board without asking for one.

The boats’ seating arrangements also raise questions about passenger capacity. Although about 15 people can fit into the commonly observed arrangement, the approved passenger limit for each boat could not be established.

Fuel handling is another issue that deserves attention. I have observed some operators using ordinary plastic beverage bottles as fuel containers, with hoses connected to the engines. The practice raises questions about safe fuel storage and handling, particularly when passengers are on board.

The wooden planks and structures used at the point of boarding also need regular maintenance. Some are exposed to the elements and show signs of wear. Water vegetation can further obstruct parts of the route.

These observations do not mean that every operator ignores safety. Practices differ. Some make life jackets compulsory, while others appear less strict. The challenge is that passengers should not have to depend entirely on the individual attitude of whoever is operating their boat.

The crossing needs consistent safety standards that apply to everyone.

I have used the crossing for about three years and now rely on it for roughly 60 per cent of my journeys to Eleyele and other destinations, including Dugbe, Oke Ado, Challenge, Ring Road, Mokola and Ologuneru. I first learnt about the route many years ago but was initially afraid of travelling by water. Over time, repeated journeys made me more comfortable with it.

I have also introduced friends to the crossing, although many have declined because they fear water. Despite the familiarity of using the route regularly, the possibility of something going wrong remains.

This report is based on interviews with commuters and residents, direct observation at the crossing, and my experience as a regular passenger. Several boat operators declined or were unavailable for interviews. One operator initially agreed to speak but later stopped responding.

For residents of Idunnu, Alakuta, Aderogba, Ogo Oluwa, Idi Mango and other neighbouring communities, the Eleyele River crossing provides an important transport service. Its affordability helps people save money, reduce travel time and reach destinations that might otherwise be more expensive to access.

But the people who depend on it deserve more than a cheap ride.

Relevant government agencies and waterway authorities should work with boat operators and community representatives to establish clear passenger limits, encourage consistent life-jacket use, conduct routine boat inspections, promote safe fuel storage, put basic emergency-response arrangements in place and, most importantly, provide safer and more sophisticated boats. Operators also need access to safety training and properly maintained engines and boats, while the wooden boarding structures should be assessed and improved.

Beyond the river crossing, the road infrastructure serving these communities also needs attention. In March 2024, Hon. Remi Oseni, representing Ido/Ibarapa East Federal Constituency, announced the reconstruction of the Awotan-Orioda-Alakuta Road, a project he facilitated. However, the road, which has a drainage structure on one side, does not extend fully to Alakuta, leaving residents of Idunnu and other adjoining areas with continuing access challenges. Government intervention is needed to extend and properly reconstruct the road towards these communities, making it easier for residents to access the river crossing and other destinations.

There is also room for responsible private investment in safer boats, better landing facilities and maintenance services. Such investment should improve the crossing without making fares unaffordable for the residents who rely on it. The Idunnu Community Landlords’ Association and other community stakeholders can also work with authorities and operators to encourage safer practices.

The Eleyele River has become a blessing to many households, particularly those who cannot afford the longer road journey every day. Its value is evident in the people who queue for boats each morning and return to the river in the evening.

But a blessing should not depend on luck.

For the hundreds of commuters who depend on the crossing, the goal should not simply be to get across the water for N100. It should be to get there and back safely.

Ayanboade, a journalist and researcher, writes from Ibadan, Oyo State