{
  "id": 9741586,
  "title": "Drowning caused by negligence not ‘Yemoja’, NIWA tells Ogun residents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/drowning-caused-by-negligence-not-yemoja-niwa-tells-ogun-residents",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T09:21:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/25/drowning-caused-by-negligence-not-yemoja-niwa-tells-ogun-residents/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has clarified that drownings on waterways are not the result of Yemoja, a revered water deity in the Yoruba region, but rather due to negligence and the disregard for safety protocols. During a sensitization campaign at the 2026 Annual Yemoja Festival held at the River Jetty in Ago Ika, Abeokuta, Engr. Ipinmoroti Segun, the Area Manager for NIWA Abeokuta Area Office, emphasized that this misconception has been responsible for misattributing deaths on waterways in the past.\n\nEngr. Segun highlighted that investigations have shown the primary causes of such incidents to be the failure to use life jackets, nighttime sailing, and operating under the influence of alcohol. He stressed that Yemoja does not consume people; instead, negligence is the culprit. The sensitization event, titled \"Sensitisation on Sustainable Cultural Heritage and Safety Protocols on Inland Waterways,\" was organized collaboratively by NIWA, the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), and supported by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.\n\nNIWA's aim is to ensure that all boats are seaworthy before sailing and to certify that safety protocols are followed by everyone on the water. The campaign emphasizes that wearing a life jacket, avoiding nighttime sailing, and refraining from drinking alcohol while operating a boat are essential safety measures. NIWA has been intensifying training and retraining of commercial boat operators, enforcing licensing, conducting on-site monitoring, and engaging with traditional rulers to reinforce the message of total safety.\n\nThis campaign aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s priority on safety, and NIWA's proactive measures include deploying marine guards and imposing strict rules, such as the \"No life jacket, no entry\" policy at jetties. A recent incident in Ogun State where three people died in a local boat underscored the importance of adhering to these safety protocols. NIWA advised parents not to allow children who cannot swim to venture near water bodies, emphasizing the dangers of taking such risks lightly.",
  "summary": "The National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, has asserted that drownings on waterways are not caused by Yemoja, a water deity, but by negligence and the abandonment of safety protocols. DAILY POST reports that Yemọja is a major water deity, mother goddess and orisha in the Yoruba region, revered as the mother of all other orishas […] Drowning caused by negligence not ‘Yemoja’, NIWA tells Ogun…",
  "key_points": [
    "NIWA clarifies drownings are due to negligence, not Yemoja deity",
    "Key causes: no life jackets, nighttime sailing, alcohol use",
    "Campaign stresses safety protocols, life jackets, no nighttime sailing"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}