He learned this profession from his father, late Chief Bassey Ekpenyong Nsa (1933-1997), who was a noted artist in his time, and credited with modernizing masquerade ensembles for the Ekpe secret society central to Efik culture as well as throughout southeast Nigeria and west Cameroon.

Chief Bassey Nsa’s artistry is deeply tied to the Ekpe society and his father’s legacy. Initiated into Ekpe at a young age, he was conferred with the Ekpe chieftaincy title, Obong Murua Okpoho, in 2009. His art is intertwined with family and cultural practices, with every work beginning with a libation to his father. Bassey Nsa’s abilities at manipulating color, compositional balance, and incorporating new materials, distinguish him from other artists in Calabar. His commissions extend throughout the Cross River region as well as to international institutions.