As I type this, I'm stuck in Refugee Island
- a spit of shrubs and palms in the Ogun State stretch of the Lagos Lagoon.

Twenty heads ( including two children and the captain).
We are here.

Inspired by the rocking boat and the anxious chatters around me, I feel the need to share this experience.



So, let's go.


Lalasticlala

How long is the trip? Where are the points of departure and arrival?

Firstly , let me take this off my chest.

I have always been a hard man.
Built, muscled , brainy, tough and hardened to the core. But today, I confirmed the existence of something that takes no cognizance of that - Water!

Water?
No mess with am

Now to the journey:

I had gone on a business trip to Abigi, the headquarters of Ogun Waterside LG some weeks ago.

The journey was very stressful.
A cab from Lekki to Epe.
Another one from Epe to Ijebu Ode.
A keke and a bus after , I was in Abigi.

I was utterly stressed out.
The thought of going back the same way dizzied me out.
I felt there should be a way not to go back to that road.

Na here I understand why all these politicians dey stack billions upon billions they will never use in soakaway pits.
I felt like telephoning Caverton for a swift helicopter pickup.
But na money for Keke drop dey my pocket . Keke kuku useless here.

" Ki la fe se bayi ?" I asked my Google assistant

Like that moment between when a police man switches from 'where is your particulars' to 'my man, carry go!', I switched moods and donned my adventure cap.

From Abigi, I took a bike to Waterside.

Like Mungo Park, na so I take discover River River Osa o. Haters and Colonialist will say it is Lekki Lagoon.

A small engine boat captained by smally and his brother ferried me across.

Seamless and open air goodness of 52mins.

I decided I will do it again.

For those who do not know, the Lekki Lagoon extends down to Ogun State.

And you can practically take a boat from Bony Camp in Lagos to anywhere in Ogun Waterside.

It will cut out stress.
It will save time.
It would ameliorate the traffic congestion on our roads.

I don't know why the government is not looking that way.

As shown in the map and on ground, the communities in both states are intertwined and inter related.

They boat across the water daily .

More should be done to aid their movements.

I started today's journey from Ajah in Lekki - Epe expressway.

I took a 400naira bus to Eleko junction .

From Eleko junction, there is a park where you can get a vehicle going to anywhere around Eleko, Magbon, Akodo, Lagos free zone , Dangote Refinery, La Campagne and beyond.

The fare to Ilagbo Bus stop is 400naira.
It's a few kilometres shy of La Campagne Resort. It's adjacent Otolu primary school.

At the Bus stop, I took a bike for 200naira to Ilagbo .
Here , an old concrete platform stretches into the water to enable you hop in and out of boats seamlessly.

The boats run from Ilagbo to Iwopin .

I've noted two boats.

The small one I cruised on the former week and this one that seem to be made of more and can take more.

A trip costs 500 naira.

On the go.

I've always wondered why Refugee Island go by that name.
I found out today
Ten minutes into sailing, the sky suddenly clouded over. A thick cloud - inky like soot from illegal oil refineries - eclipsed the sky.
A strong wind followed.
Noah don enter our boat

Omo.

The breeze weigh.

The Boat was fitted with Taupoline screens on both sides.
As it started to rain, the screens were pulled down sheltering us from the rain.

E come be like say na there wahala start.

As the curtains were drawn, the wind intensified in its violence.
The Taupoline were fanned around so badly I felt they would be shredded in no distant time.

We started going off course.

Breeze don dey blow us .
We are literally getting 'carried away'.

A cry rang out in the boat.
This time, the situation registered its severeness.

The women enjoined him to berth somewhere but dude was being stubborn.

It was all fun for me.
I was simulating how I'd boat over the Mediterranean if Buhari instruct Immigration to suspend the issuance of new passports.

Seeing the old timers that alarmed roused me from my riverie.
I began to count my teeth with my tongue.


There was an island a mile ahead of us.
Refugee Island, says Google.
My prayer was that we get there in one piece.

As we move towards it, omo, I approached the boat guy o.

"You go enter that place, bros. Make we park there fess," I said, scowling widely.

He got the message.
One could easily touch the terror in the air.

He did a sharp maneuver into the patch and we all breathed our relief.

I sent a string of messages to Kid bro make he know where im broda dey, incase

Now I'm sitted here on the return leg ready to do this again.

We are Nigerians

Nice experience, I'll be happy to do this.

zeuss:
How long is the trip? Where are the points of departure and arrival?

1hr on the average.

Departure : Ilagbo, Lekki LCDA

Arrival: Iwopin , Ogun Waterside

blizard44:


1hr on the average.

Departure : Ilagbo, Lekki LCDA

Arrival: Iwopin , Ogun Waterside

At least no fear of armed robber an kidnappers.....how much is the fare pls

samuel19222:
nice one op, you get mind sha, omo strong man no Dey for water ooo, no life jacket Alaye i hail you ooo, one day me sef go try out the adventure

Here na another world.

I no sure say dem don ever see Life Jacket before.

When I mentioned the absence of it -- they be like: What's that?

Wetin dem take am dey do?

zeuss:


At least no fear of armed robber an kidnappers.....how much is the fare pls

Walahi.

The fare is 500 .

To and fro na 1k.

I enjoyed reading your experience.

The fear of water ehn. Was even thinking he would show some old but at least modern crafts. Op get mind.

.

Any idea how much they sell plot of Land around that place?
How populated is the refugee island?
Nice Adventure BTW......

.

Plut01:
.


Any idea how much they sell plot of Land around that place?

How populated is the refugee island?

Nice Adventure BTW......


.

Absolutely no idea.

But I'll look up some real estate company in that area and furnish you their info.

---

There is no human activity on refugee island.

It's a vast unnoccupied jungle of palm , shrubs and marsh.

blizard44:


Absolutely no idea.

But I'll look up some real estate company in that area and furnish you their info.

---

There is no human activity on refugee island.

It's a vast unnoccupied jungle of palm , shrubs and marsh.

Pictures my borda....... refreshing thread.

I made more videos than photographs.

Wish it were possible to upload videos here.

You will understand what happened on the road to Nineveh.

On landing in Lagos, I crossed over to the other side to take in sights of the sea.

Wow… God forbid I try this

We have so much tourist opportunities in Nigeria.

bastardson:
Wow… God forbid I try this

otokx:
We have so much tourist opportunities in Nigeria.

Innumerable, I must say.

Rural Lagos is in itself a beauty to behold.

My house is flanked by the lagoon to the left and a palm jungle to the right.

Every morning, as early as eight, you see monkeys dashing between palms and hopping from treetops to treetops.

Colourful snakes -- some perfectly green , some a compendium of neon , brown , matte-black and banana-yellow -- dots the landscape.

Water lizards, rock-eyed crabs, crocs and snails occasionally make their appearance.

All my mind be say : If I get money ehn, I go buy small space knack small thing here. A perfect hermitage. But developers don dey chook hole for that plan.

Estates don almost buy this Lagos Amazon finish.
Dem don plough down half of my backyard.

Emmyk:
I enjoyed reading your experience.

Thanks, bro.

You will even enjoy it more if you do the trip.

blizard44:


Thanks, bro.

You will even enjoy it more if you do the trip.

Lol. My heart will be in my mouth, for the whole time onboard.

Nice one OP.


You can upload videos through YouTube.


Developers destroying the Amazon by that you mean all those Ibeju Lekki Estates?

Sheisenough01:
Nice one OP.


You can upload videos through YouTube.


Developers destroying the Amazon by that you mean all those Ibeju Lekki Estates?

Walahi.

They have levelled everywhere.