The journey to Akata begins where the road ends. From Atabrikang, a visitor boards a speedboat and travels for about 30 minutes through winding waterways before reaching the fishing community in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The community sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Qua Iboe River. For generations, the water sustained almost everyone here.
That memory is still fresh for Monday George. As a young fisherman in the early 2000s, he targeted octopus. The shallow coastal waters were rich, and the market was good.
“There was plenty,” he recalled. “We caught octopus regularly, and we had different types of fish. Back then, if you worked hard, fishing could take care of your family, and you could consider yourself rich.”
Monday George
