Working Lives

Working Lives: The Fisherman Who Wants to Meet More Event Planners

Fishermen are one of the most hardworking people we have ever spoken to. The job is very dangerous in addition to being arduous– they battle extreme cold and treacherous winds while sailing deep into the ocean. It is hence a big shock how little they earn. Having money to buy a refrigerator is almost a life-changing investment. While working on the interviews, one of the fishermen, a Ghanian, has quit to work as an interpreter for a Chinese businessman in Accra. Another has significantly improved his income- he met an events planner that he supplies directly.

Working Lives: The Fisherman Who Wants to Meet More Event Planners

I grew up in the creeks. We didn’t dream we could become anything greater than the people we saw around us. I do not want my kids to have this kind of mentality. I want them to be doctors, lawyers and whatever they can dream to be”.

Adebayo Salami

Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Adebayo Salami. I was born and brought up in Lagos, but my parents are from Ikare, Akoko, a village in Ondo State. My dad had a farm in the village while in Lagos. He decided to go back to the village to focus fully on the farm so we all relocated to the village. I lived in the village for two years and decided to come back to Lagos. I am the third of six children. I only completed secondary school. Everyone in the family looks for one trade or the other after secondary school. Our parents are not rich so I did not even think of going to the university.

When did you start working as a fisherman?

We used to live around Makoko area, the waterside community of Lagos. Like many kids in that community, I started fishing for fun very early. We would get a canoe in the evening and at the weekend and go fishing. These are the canoes you see from your cars while driving on the third mainland bridge. I started going to fish with my friends around 2006 when I was in JSS 2. We got a bit of money when we sold the fish but the real attraction was the great fun we had fishing and playing in canoes on the water. My parents did not like this at all; they were always afraid I could drown. Looking back, I think they were right as I could not swim. Anytime I went out with my friends to fish, I got four strokes of the cane when I got home. But we had such a good time fishing, the punishment had no effect on me at all. My father got tired and gave up on trying to stop me from going to fish.

So, when did you start earning a living as a fisherman?

This was when I finished secondary school. By then, I had spent four years fishing with my friends for the fun of it. I had interacted with people who were fishing for a living over the four years so I had developed an understanding of the business side of fishing. I formed my own fishing crew. I engaged some of the people I grew up with whose parents were into fishing; they had more experience than I did. They knew how to operate the boat better and also understood how to navigate deep into the sea. Every member of the crew focused on a task. Some of us were in charge of controlling the boat and making sure the engines are intact. They make sure that we do not run out of fuel. Some do the actual fishing while others took care of the cooking. We also have people who read the GPS while we navigate.

How far out into the sea do you go fishing?

We go really far. Valuable fish do not come to you near the shore. You have to go far into the sea to get them. I am not educated like you so I cannot really tell how far we go in kilometers. The GPS is always our guide. Before the GPS, we relied on our experience and instincts. We were very careful not to go too far into the sea which limited what we could catch. The GPS has made life easier for us.

How often do you go fishing? 

We spend on average five days when we go fishing. We try to stay on land for at least five days before we get on the sea again. But sometimes, we get orders from market women while resting after a trip. So, we return to the sea in order to deliver. It is really tough fishing deep into the sea. We often get sick while on the sea or after we come ashore. The atmosphere when you go deep into the sea is another world. It is extremely cold. We get nauseous and vomit. We drink gin and also smoke cigarettes and weed to keep us warm and alive.

Do you go to the hospital when you get back on land?

Hospital? I make so little money. I cannot afford to pay any doctor to treat me for being seasick. Ogogoro does the magic. Dr. Schnapps is our favorite doctor.

Is it not boring cooking and waiting for fish on the cold sea?

Believe me, it is incredible fun. We are like a community of brothers on the high sea; we talk and share deep things about our lives. A deep bond develops when you sail deep into the sea with people; you face danger together. We take all sorts of foodstuff with us such as rice, noodles, garri and little ingredients to make stew. We also have a gas stove and pots. We have a six-man crew. We go with two boats – one mainly carries the fishermen, while the other carries the foodstuff and other necessary equipment like the net, fishing line, hook, GPS, and the like.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Fisherman Who Left School for the Sea

Which kind of fish do you catch?

Croaker, carangidae and many more. I don’t know what their scientific names are. We have slangs that we use to differentiate them. Ojuyobo and stuff like that. We sell between N4,000 – N5,000 per kilogramme depending on the type of fish.

I know that boats are very expensive, so how were you able to buy your boat? 

It was a hard and long struggle. We were first using canoes. But canoes make very poor fishermen. Like I have said, the more valuable fish are deep into the sea. It is risky to sail deep into the sea on canoes. My crew and I used two canoes for about two years. This restricted how far we could go into the sea and thus the money we could make. We were all saving aggressively so we could buy a fairly used boat for N170,000. We achieved our dream after two years.

How do you share the money you make?

I am the captain of the crew. I am the one who shares the money. So, let’s say we make N50,000 from a five-day trip, I will take N15,000 and the other guys get N5,000 each. We keep N15,000 for buying fuel and foodstuff to eat while fishing. We sometimes make up to N70,000 when demand for fish is higher or when we catch more fish.

How does your family cope while you are away fishing?

My wife has been really supportive. She takes good care of the kids while I am away, and I always make sure I leave enough money at home. I spend time with them during the weekend; we go to places like Mr. Biggs and Chicken Republic. I don’t want my children to turn out like me. I am trying my best to make them more enlightened than I am. I grew up in the creeks. We didn’t dream we could become anything greater than the people we saw around us. I do not want my kids to have this kind of mentality. I want them to be doctors, lawyers and whatever they can dream to be. I have two boys and a girl.

Where do you live?

I live in a two-bedroom apartment at Iyana-Oworo. I pay N150,000 per annum as rent.

What do you spend on?

I make between N60,000 to N80,000 from two to three trips in a month. I save N20,000 monthly or sometimes N15,000 depending on the household expenses for that month. N20,000 goes into buying foodstuff at home. I give my wife N5,000 to keep, and I keep the rest for miscellaneous expenses – sometimes most of the money we keep as miscellaneous goes into taking care of the children when they are ill. There are no savings when I need to buy new clothes for the children or pay for school expenses. But they attend a public school so we don’t pay school fees. We know we have to pay when they get to the university so we are working towards this. We will make it by God’s grace. The good thing is that my wife has a job. She works as a secretary to the principal of a private school in our neighborhood. She gets paid quite well-N50,000:00 a month. This is a big blessing to the family. This is why men should marry women who can support them in taking care of the family.

Are there any dangers when you go deep into the sea?

Yes. You never know what’s in the water; you can be attacked by anything. Sometimes the waves are crazy, they almost overturn the boat. Pirates are also another issue; you could get kidnapped. I thank God for the protection over the years.

Who do you sell the fish to?

We sell to market women in Makoko, Lekki, and Iyana Oworo. We have our customer base. The women call us when they want to replenish their stock. A lot of people don’t like frozen fish so the market for fresh food is strong. We sell to event planners too. I met an event planner around November 2021.  This has been very good for me. We get more money when we sell directly to event planners, between N1,000 and N2,000 more per kilogramme compared to when we sell to the market women. This event planner buys from me almost every weekend.

How do you determine how much to sell to the market women?

I secretly find out how much they are selling fish to customers. I go to the market and do a survey, acting like I want to buy just to have an idea of how much these women are selling the fish. The women always pretend, telling fishermen, “Oh customers don’t so much for fish” in order to make us sell to them for little money. It is all lies. They add about N3,000 – N4,000 per killogramme to what they pay us. It doesn’t bother me again since I met the event planner. My finances have really improved. I can now buy things to improve our standard of living. I recently just bought a refrigerator. My wife can now preserve food. She also now sells cold drinks to the neighbours. The small extra income she makes has been very useful. She buys more things for the house without having to ask me for money. 

Are you planning to go into something else besides fishing?

I really don’t plan to venture into anything else apart from being a fisherman. What other job can I get? I don’t even have an OND. But I believe that if the government can empower people like us, it is really going to be a boost to the fishery sector of the economy. We can build a hub close to the shores; let people come and buy from us as we bring in fresh fish. It is really going to be a huge market. I read about how governments organize the sector elsewhere. I read a lot of stuff online. I have not been to the university but I can still read and write very well. My father made sure we all learned to read and write so people don’t cheat us in life. He had a strong belief in this. He believed that even if one has not gone to a university, as long as you know how to read and write, you can navigate life. I don’t want to bring up my kids with that kind of mentality. I want better for them. And I know I can achieve my aim for my children through this trade. I just have to meet more people like the event planner who buy fish directly from me.

Oluwatomi Otuyemi

Oluwatomi Otuyemi, a Geology graduate from Crawford University, has 5 years experience in corporate corporate communications. He has a passion for storytelling, and investigative reporting.

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