'Dem born me for Nigeria and I don be fisherman dia for 40 years now'

- Author, Adesola Ikulajolu
- Role, Broadcast Journalist, BBC Pidgin
- Reporting from, Lagos
23 January 2025
Read am in 3 mins

Fabio Beccarelli na ogbonge Italian-Nigerian fisherman wey don dey Lagos, Nigeria for about 40 years.

Dem born Fabio for Lagos and im be di third generation of im family.

For di exclusive interview wit BBC Pidgin, Fabio tori how e begin im fishing for Lagos, Nigeria at a veri young age for Apapa area.

E learn to dey fish from im grandmother wey later teach im own papa.

For Fabio, e dey fish for fun and na wetin dey ginger am be dat, im aim no be to make money through fishing.

Though some of di fishes worth ova 200,000 naira ($130), Fabio dey chop abuse wen e throway dem back into di ocean.

E begin to dey catch fish since im be small boy and e dey go deep into di ocean to catch different species of fish for fun.

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Pipo dey yab me say why I go catch fish come throway am back into di water, but dem no understand why I dey do am.

Fabio say im don alreadi dey addicted to fishing and even if e dey sick, once e enta water catch fish, im body go dey well.

Wen we ask Fabio wetin dey motivate am, e say na di fishing and im family dey give am motivation to do wetin e dey do.

"I grow up into fishing. I don dey Nigeria tey tey. My wife dey play a big role to motivate me and my pikin dey veri happy about am.

Wen I small, I go stand for Apapa and wait for anyone wey dey go fishing and I go beg, den one pesin go say make I come."

"Sometimes wen I dey go fishing, pesin go follow me wit im boat to same place, me I go dey catch but dem no go dey catch. E get tins wey me I know wey odas no know."

Ontop yabbing, Fabio say oda fishermen no dey happy wen dem see am dey throway fish back into di water.

Fabio say im dey protect some species of fish, na why im dey throw dem back into di water but odas no understand.

"I dey receive argument a lot say why I dey throway di fishes back into di ocean. Some of di fish wen I catch di fish, I dey throway am back into di fish.

Di real reason why wey I dey go fishing na for di fun of it. We go fishing and come back wit veri satisfied mind."