As I bid farewell to Abak , my heart brimming with anticipation, I embarked on a journey with my parents and grandma. The destination? The magnificent Lagos City. Clutching my briefcase, I couldn't help but be swept away by a wave of nostalgia, reminiscing on the cherished memories woven into the very fabric of this town. The echoes of children's laughter, the camaraderie of school friends, and the simple joy of plucking fresh leaves from our backyard for my treasured "afang soup" all danced through my mind.
Yet, as the car whisked us closer to the airport, I knew it was time to bid adieu to the familiar and embrace the unknown. With a mix of excitement and nervousness , I slipped on my headphones, seeking solace in the melodies that would accompany our journey. Beside me, my grandmother, a beacon of wisdom and faith, peacefully dozed, her prayers whispered softly in her native tongue.
It was time for our aircraft to land. The magnitude of the moment gripped my grandmother's heart, rendering sleep a distant memory. With each fervent prayer that escaped her lips, I couldn't help but feel a surge of comfort and strength coursing through my veins.
The voice, of the air hostess woke me up from my sleep, announcing our arrival at the Lagos airport. My gaze wandered, and there, I beheld the sight of my grandma, her eyes filled with gratitude, offering prayers of thanks to the heavens for our safe landing. On the other side, my parents, like a pair of mischievous adolescents, exchanged playful laughter, their love radiating through their lighthearted banter. Their infectious joy was a testament to their enduring bond, reminiscent of young teenage lovers. In that moment, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of their connection, a testament to the power of love and the timeless nature of affection.
I also was grateful to God for a safe landing. It's funny how my parents don't care much about religion, they're atheists but thanks to grandma, spending a lot of time with her has helped me share in her belief that Abasi exists. The creator of everything. Hers is the traditional religion and although she believes in the existence of only one God, she However doesn't have the right knowledge the true nature of God and everytime i try to preach to her she just says;
"Dah! Ayeyen ideghe mkpo iko mbakara. Ataakpan mkpo ado Ima"
Translation: [ grandchild, this is not a matter of English language. The most important thing is love.]
She always believed that religion and grandiose vocabulary, which were imposed upon us by Western colonizers, were not as important as showing love and kindness to those around us.
To her, There is one God who rules over the other minor gods and goddesses and while other traditionalists would seek the help of the minor gods for their own devilish benefits, she never used her religion to cause harm.
She believed there are many efik gods, but she worshipped only Abasi. Other traditionalists also worshipped the other minor efik gods and goddesses like Eka abasi or the other Ndem(s), using them to achieve deviousness at times.
The creation story of the Efik reveals characters such as Abasi, Atai and the first humans. It is believed that Abasi first created the earth and later created the first humans; a man and a woman.
Abasi did not let the first humans live on earth because he wanted no one to contend with him. Abasi's wife Atai disagreed with him and insisted that Man and woman should live on earth. Abasi gave the humans permission to live on earth but ordered that the Humans should not cultivate their own food but should dine in the heavens whenever a bell is rung. Abasi also ordered that the man and woman should not procreate. This second instruction was given so that the humans would never forget Abasi. Each day, a bell would be rung and the humans would visit the heavens to dine with Abasi. The law prohibiting the cultivation of crops of Earth was first broken by the woman. The woman cultivated plants and used them to cook food which she served to the man. The man and woman also broke Abasi's second command by sleeping together and having intercourse. The next time the bell was rung, the man came alone. Abasi asked the man where his wife was located, the man lied, saying she was unwell. In reality, the man had hidden his wife because she was pregnant. The woman had borne a son and later bore a daughter. Abasi was aware of what had transpired on Earth and told Atai that the humans had broken his laws, had neglected and forgotten him. Atai reassured Abasi that the humans would never forget Abasi and sent death into the world. Some versions of the story attest that Atai killed the man and his wife while other versions employ a form of poetic language attesting that Atai sent chaos and death into the world.
This story was told to me by my grandma. It was funny but a bit similar to the first creation story i learned from the bible in my school. Except for the fact that my own God who is the true God had no wife. And there are no other gods besides him.