Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State; former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara; and immediate past Deputy Governor of the state, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, have expressed deep sorrow over the passing of renowned gospel preacher, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai.
The late Ukpai, who hailed from Asaga Ohafia, died at the age of 80.
Governor Otti, in a tribute signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, said he received the news of Ukpai’s death with shock and sadness.
He described the late evangelist as “a revered man of God and one of Abia’s most impactful and celebrated religious ambassadors.”
According to the statement, “Governor Otti recalls the father-son relationship that existed between him and Dr. Ukpai over the years,” describing his passing as “devastating because of the massive vacuum it has created in Christendom, the state, and the country.”
“Our father in the Lord, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, has, to the joy of Heaven and the celebration of the Angels, gone to be with the Lord,” Otti said.
He further described the late international preacher as “the father of all, a soldier of Christ, and a generational teacher who yielded himself to Christ and became a potent instrument for the healing of the sick, salvation of lost souls, fulfilment of scriptures, and manifestation of God’s prophecies.”
“His death is devastating because of the positive influence he wielded, the impacts he made, and the lives he touched in very special ways. Above all, his passing has created a huge vacuum,” the statement added.
Regretting that “Papa Uma Ukpai passed on when his services to God and humanity were still being enjoyed,” Otti said, “his is not death but a journey to higher glory.”
On behalf of his family, the government, and the people of Abia State, the Governor condoled with the Ukpai family and the Christian community, praying God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss and to uphold the “enduring fire of glory” the preacher ignited in God’s vineyard.
Similarly, former Senate President Adolphus Wabara described Ukpai’s passing as “a colossal loss to Abia State and the Christian community.”
He said the late cleric made indelible imprints on the sands of time and urged the family to take solace in his enduring legacies.
In a separate statement, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu described Rev. Ukpai as an illustrious son of Abia whose positive impact would continue to be felt long after his demise.
The former Deputy Governor, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Obasi Onwuka, said he was deeply devastated by the news of Ukpai’s passing.
Sir Oko Chukwu urged Abians and the Ukpai family “to take solace in the fact that the elder statesman acquitted himself creditably while alive and will be remembered for his solid contributions to the growth and development of Abia State in particular and Nigeria in general.”
Describing the late Ukpai as one of the grand masters of televangelism in Nigeria, Sir Oko Chukwu recalled with nostalgia his outstanding philanthropy and his contributions to the establishment of the King of Kings Hospital and Uma Ukpai Polytechnic, both in Asaga Ohafia.
He prayed God, who determines the end of every mortal from the beginning, to grant the soul of Rev. Ukpai eternal rest and give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
