Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, the revered international evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, has passed away at the age of 80.<\/p>\n
His family confirmed the news in a statement titled\u00a0\u201cGlorious Transition,\u201d\u00a0announcing that the spiritual leader went to be with the Lord on October 6, 2025.<\/p>\n
Describing him as\u00a0\u201ca faithful soldier of the cross,\u201d\u00a0the family highlighted his over six decades of passionate ministry marked by fiery evangelism, dynamic teaching of the Word, and prophetic demonstrations of God\u2019s power. According to the statement, his work transformed countless lives across Nigeria and around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe celebrate the triumphant homegoing of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, who passed on to glory on October 6, 2025. A spiritual general and founding father of faith, he was a loving husband, devoted father, and mentor to many. While we mourn his physical absence, we rejoice that he has finished his race and now rests in eternal praise. Details of the obsequies will be announced in due course,\u201d\u00a0the statement read.<\/p>\n
The news of his passing was also shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @therealchurchgist, a Christian news platform, which posted:<\/p>\n
\u201cA GENERAL TAKES A BOW! EVANGELIST UMA UKPAI HAS GONE TO BE WITH THE LORD. REST IN POWER SIR! MORE DETAILS SHORTLY\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
A Life of Service and Legacy<\/strong><\/p>\n Born on January 7, 1945, Rev. Uma Ukpai hailed from Asaga in Ohafia, Abia State, Nigeria. He converted to Christianity in 1958 after facing early life struggles, including the death of his father when he was just 10 years old. Reflecting on his challenging beginnings, he once said:<\/p>\n \u201cI know what it means to lose a father and be a father from that age\u2026 I learnt early enough to know that the stone Satan throws at you can become a stepping stone.\u201d<\/p>\n Education and Qualifications<\/strong><\/p>\n Rev. Ukpai pursued extensive education both locally and internationally. He attended:<\/p>\n \u2022 Uma Ukpai Memorial Primary School, Asaga<\/p>\n \u2022 Khana County Council School, Ogoni<\/p>\n \u2022 All Saints Secondary School, Aba<\/p>\n \u2022 Niger Delta Technical School (now Boys Technical College), Aba<\/p>\n He later earned certifications and degrees from institutions such as:<\/p>\n \u2022 School of Journalism and Television, Frisham, Hermitage, UK<\/p>\n \u2022 South Florida Christian College, Miami, USA<\/p>\n \u2022 Carolina Christian University and Burke Bible College, Kentucky, USA<\/p>\n He held qualifications in Electrical Engineering Practice, Journalism, and Divinity, including both Bachelor\u2019s and Doctorate degrees in Divinity.<\/p>\n Family Life<\/strong><\/p>\n Rev. Uma Ukpai was married to Pastor Philomena Uma Ukpai. Their marriage was blessed with eight children and an adopted child. Tragically, two of their children died in a car accident on the same day\u2014a loss he carried with grace and unwavering faith.<\/p>\n Ministry and Evangelism<\/strong><\/p>\n Rev. Ukpai was known for his bridge-building ministry, working across denominations through his evangelistic crusades and prophetic ministry. He was a founding figure in the\u00a0Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), a movement birthed after his landmark \u201cGreater Lagos for Christ Crusade\u201d in 1985.<\/p>\n His ministry,\u00a0Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA), headquartered in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, continues to be one of the primary supporters of the PFN.<\/p>\n Crusades and Outreach<\/strong><\/p>\n He led numerous citywide and national crusades including:<\/p>\n \u2022 Greater Ohafia for Christ Crusade (yearly)<\/p>\n \u2022 Anioma One-million Man Crusade (2016, with Dr. Celestine Iwendi)<\/p>\n \u2022 Nsukka Crusade (2012)<\/p>\n \u2022 Greater Ibadan for Christ (1982)<\/p>\n \u2022 Greater Lagos for Christ (1985)<\/p>\n These events were known for miraculous healings, deliverance, and soul-winning.<\/p>\n Healthcare and Education Contributions<\/strong><\/p>\n Rev. Ukpai\u2019s impact extended into healthcare and education:<\/p>\n \u2022 Uma Ukpai Eye Centre\u00a0and\u00a0King of Kings Hospital\u00a0serve communities in Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.<\/p>\n \u2022 He founded\u00a0Uma Ukpai School of Theology and Biblical Studies,\u00a0Uma Ukpai Polytechnic, Asaga, and the\u00a0Uma Ukpai Scholarship Foundation.<\/p>\n \u2022 He also established an affiliate of the\u00a0Joseph Business School\u00a0in Nigeria, connected to the U.S.-based school in Chicago.<\/p>\n Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai\u2019s passing marks the end of an era but leaves behind a lasting legacy of faith, service, and transformative ministry. His life continues to inspire millions to walk boldly in faith and compassion.<\/p>\n \u201cFor to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.\u201d \u2013 Philippians 1:21<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, the revered international evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, has passed away at the age of 80. His family confirmed the news in a statement titled\u00a0\u201cGlorious Transition,\u201d\u00a0announcing that the spiritual leader went to be with the Lord on October 6, 2025. Describing him as\u00a0\u201ca faithful soldier of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":95428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5772,7,5781],"tags":[1753,4875,7360],"class_list":["post-95427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-faith","category-news","category-obituary","tag-dead","tag-evangelist","tag-ukpai"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=95427"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95427\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/95428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=95427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=95427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=95427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}