The Ascension of Ntié Aja in Cross River State
By Modlin Odu
Long time ago in Bankpor Erue, Boki Local Government Area when affliction and hatred had not set in. When tradition had not been infiltrated by foreign dominance, beliefs and sentiments. A time when Njo from Esekwe can make a jolly trek to Bankpor, not forgetting to stop at Okubuchi to abuse Ebu for abuses spices conversations among age mates. He can then proceed to Akatom where he meets with Obi and loudly accentuates the wretchedness of his loin cloth and the tasteless palm wine he taps after gulping a calabash full of it, wipe his mouth with the back of his palm, bulge, gives a nod amidst hysteric laughter and departs with gratitude clothed in abuses. He goes through Obudu Bunyia, receiving and giving sarcastic compliments. The world was liveable. Women were taken as wives and they bore healthy children, male and female. If ever there was evil, it was almost unnoticed.
There lived a jolly good fellow with supernatural powers in Bankpor Erue. Tall, successful and handsome even when his days on earth had been reasonably spent. He had wives and children. He was a fortune teller and was respected across the villages of Erue. His name is Ntié Aja.
Ntie Aja till date is considered an angel by some people or good spirit who took human form to bring good tidings to the land while others, considering he has lust for the wants of the flesh like mortals, think he is the ghost of a good man who died untimely somewhere else and reincarnated into Ntie. He was a perfect being, always on white loin cloth. He saw into the future of people, he read minds and could foretell evil. Ntie Aja healed the sick, prevented the death of good people, he also invoked severe punishment on evil doers and so, they feared him.
On one of the days that villagers rest from going to farm, Ntie Aja gathered together his kinsmen to a big feast in his home. As usual, there was so much to eat and drink. They made dance moves to the appealing sounds emanating from flutes blown by men whose artistry was divine. Everyman had everything to his fill, they laughed and told popular tales.
Suddenly, like a trance, the people were held spellbound at the unimaginable action taking places before them. Some dropped their wine calabash with disgust, thinking its content is playing tricks on them. Others wiped their eyes repeatedly to be sure of the realness of what was before them. Then the rest watched in admiration, believing it to be one of the tricks a man with such powers was displaying especially on a day of merriment. They were watching in utter amazement, in fear and in confusion even when they knew the powers Ntie had, they couldn’t believe the unfolding event.
Like a man climbing a coconut tree, like a skilled palm wine tapper going atop a ready palm tree to suck out its juice, Ntie Aja is seen ascending upwards, holding on to a white cloth whose beginning is lost in the sky. A radiating white light shone around him and slowly and gloriously, upwards he went and never returned.
Among his descendants in present day Bankpor Erue, prophets and divine messengers have been raised in the Christian faith.
The controversy about this story is that, while one account holds what is presented here, the other word of mouth account describe him as a bad diviner who got power drunk, dared Supreme powers and while attempting to ascend to the sky, a great wind consumed him and he died. But this account never told if his body was found. It means both accounts agree he ascended but disagree on his lifestyle before the ascension.
