It was a memorable 10-hour duration on water and another 10 hours on land, viewing the breathtaking beauty of Lagos through its waterways.
From spotting endangered species in protected areas to touring the Omu terminals, marvelling at real estate investments, and admiring government infrastructures, the experience was truly amazing.
Boats followed each other in a manner that caught the attention of many, as people appreciated the natural habitats and beauty of Lagos’ environs. The aquatic life, creeks, and stunning structures scattered around the city left a lasting impression on the minds of tourists.
This was the initiative of Bolaji Olasode, Chairman of Thesaurus Group of Companies and Chairman of Thesaurus Bay Ltd, the organiser of the ‘Tour of Lagos Waterways by Thesaurus Bay’ held on October 1st.
The event, now in its 4th edition, organised by Thesaurus Bay Limited and other partners, aimed to showcase the beauty and potential of Lagos’ waterways.
Speaking at the event, Olasode said his company is looking into foreign direct investment and providing alternative options for foreign travel for tourism.
“We are trying to look inward under local content and provide alternatives to Nigerians who want to see Lagos from a different perspective. We have a lot of things to showcase today.
“We have the endangered species protection areas, tour of Omu terminals, some real estate investments, and government infrastructures in these areas. Lagos is covered by 80 percent water, and we believe that if people are aware of what is going on on the waterways, they will be interested,” he said.
The chairman of Thesaurus Bay spoke on the need for the government to invest in public-private partnerships.
“We have been partnering with Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). They have given us a lot of support. We also partner with National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, and Ministry of Home Affairs.
“We have been partnering with them on the tour of the waterways, and they have been encouraging us through provision of water guards, boats, and support. Today, we are moving about 400 people on the waterways, mostly CEOs, captains of industry. We have representatives of NIWA and the Ministry of Tourism on board for them to see what we have for them today,” Olasode said.
He expressed his hope that people would see the vast potential of Lagos State’s investments in water transportation, understand the concept of marine tourism, and appreciate the luxury on the waterways.
“We have all representatives of governments. We will spend 10 hours on water and 10 hours on land. There would be lots of cultural displays, networking, amongst others. We have other partners that have supported this initiative,” he added.
Noah Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of Novarick Homes, a property development company, described water transportation as “the future of movement in Lagos.”
“You will notice that Lagos has traffic issues, and we have an abundance of water in Lagos. The Lagos State government is also doing very interesting things to ensure that people start using the waterways.
“The event we have today is a crucial one and is something we have been doing for years. We want to expose people to the fact that the waterways are safe if you follow all the rules of using water transportation, and that is what Thesaurus Bay and Thesaurus Garden are working on every year. Water transportation is a very important part of transportation in Lagos, and we believe it is the future,” Ibrahim said.
He explained that Thesaurus Bay and Novarick Homes are partners in property development and have several projects together in Lagos, Ibadan, and Abuja. “Later, we decided to partner on water transportation. We have investments in boats that move people all around Lagos every day.”
Ibrahim noted that there is a lot of funding available for people who want to invest in water transportation, but there is a need for more sensitisation. He said investments like what Thesaurus Bay is doing would continue to encourage people to use the waterways.
“People have fears of moving on water, but once the safety guidelines are followed properly, we believe it is a very safe way to move around Lagos. Thesaurus Bay is opening up more jetties all around Lagos to help people move around Lagos.”
Ibrahim also highlighted some challenges in using water transportation, including limited investment, high running costs, high cost of boats, and low sensitisation.
“Ordinarily, people go on boat cruises to celebrate birthdays and for different events, so people are already interested in moving around the water. We have more people also moving goods through the waterways. It is faster, more convenient, and cheaper,” he explained.
Oyindamola Ade-Alli, Secretary and Legal Adviser for the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), spoke about the importance of sensitisation and safety measures in promoting the use of water transportation.
“Although Lagos State is predominantly surrounded by water, a lot of people still suffer from water phobia, and some people would rather be on the road and be stuck in traffic for hours instead of taking the waterways and getting to their destinations in minutes.
“So, this kind of event promotes awareness and also puts people at ease and lets them realise that there are safety measures being put in place and it is more reliable and a faster means of transportation.”
Ade-Alli emphasised that LASWA has a group of water guards stationed at terminals and jetties to ensure safety protocols are adhered to.
“For LASWA, in particular, we have a group of people we call water guards. They are stationed at the terminal and jetties and ensure that safety protocols are adhered to. They ensure people have their life jackets on and ensure all safety protocols are followed. We have repeated sensitisation messages, telling people it is safe and reliable for people to use.”
