Our Reporter, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has joined millions of Nigerians and the global Christian community to mourn the passing of renowned evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, describing him as “one in a generation.”
In a statement personally signed by him, President Tinubu eulogized the late cleric as “an anointed crusader of the faith, filled with fire and ice for the gospel and restoring humanity to discipline, love, and good neighbourliness.”
Dr. Ukpai, who passed on at the age of 80, was an international evangelist and one of the founding leaders of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
The President recalled the powerful revival campaigns led by the late preacher in the 1980s, notably the Greater Ibadan for Christ crusade in 1982 and the Greater Lagos for Christ crusade in 1985, describing them as “phenomenal events in both proportion and impact.”
“Dr. Ukpai’s mission was clearly to unite the Christian fold and different faiths and spread peace and harmony,” Tinubu noted.
“He was a builder — building men and bridges linking different faiths, people, tongues, and tribes.”
The President also highlighted the evangelist’s humanitarian contributions, including the establishment of schools, hospitals, and charities for the underprivileged, saying he “fulfilled his divine mission and has gone to be with the Lord.”
Tinubu commiserated with the Ukpai family, particularly his wife, Pastor Philomena Uma Ukpai, and their children, urging them to take solace in the enduring legacy of the revered servant of God.
Dr. Uma Ukpai, born in Asaga, Ohafia, Abia State, devoted over five decades of his life to evangelism, revival crusades, and humanitarian service, leaving behind an indelible mark on the Nigerian church and society.
