Nigeria’s renowned evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA), Dr Uma Ukpai, is dead.
He passed away on October 6, 2025, at the age of 80.
His family, in a statement issued on Monday, described his death as a “glorious transition” from a life of service to eternal rest.
“He was a faithful soldier of the cross who devoted his life to spreading the gospel with passion and integrity,” the statement read. “His teachings, prophetic insights, and mentorship have left a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire believers for years to come.”
The family noted that Ukpai lived a life wholly devoted to the propagation of the gospel, adding that he was “a spiritual general, loving husband, devoted father, and mentor to many who looked to him for guidance in faith and life.”
They further stated that while they mourn his passing, they are comforted by the belief that he has “finished his race and is now resting in eternal praise.”
Born in 1945 in Asaga, Ohafia LGA, Abia State, Dr Ukpai was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s foremost faith leaders. For more than six decades, he dedicated his life to evangelism, faith teaching, and prophetic ministry. His fiery evangelistic campaigns, emphasis on faith and healing, and humanitarian outreaches earned him national and international recognition.
Through his crusades and outreach programmes, he impacted millions of lives across Nigeria and beyond. His ministry, the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA), a non-denominational gospel mission based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, also extended its work to education and humanitarian development across Africa.
The family noted that details of his funeral arrangements will be announced later, adding that his life and ministry reflected the scriptural verse Philippians 1:21: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of the respected cleric, describing him as “one of God’s generals.”
“With a heavy heart, I mourn the passing of one of God’s generals, Dr Uma Ukpai. Reverend Ukpai was not just another preacher; he was an anointed crusader of the faith, filled with fire and ice for the gospel and restoring humanity to discipline, love, and good neighbourliness,” the President said in a tribute on Monday.
President Tinubu recalled that Dr Ukpai, who was a founding figure in the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), played a pivotal role in the revival movements that swept across Nigeria and parts of Africa in the 1980s.
“He was one of the leaders in the Lord’s army who brought the fervour of revival sweeping across Nigeria and parts of Africa in the 1980s. He was a firebrand,” the President said. “I recall his Greater Ibadan for Christ crusade in 1982 and the Greater Lagos for Christ crusade in 1985, two phenomenal events in proportion and impact.”
The President praised the late evangelist’s lifelong mission of fostering unity and peace among Christians and people of other faiths.
“Dr Ukpai’s mission was clearly to unite the Christian fold and different faiths and spread peace and harmony. He was a builder, building men and bridges linking different faiths, people, tongues, and tribes,” Tinubu said.
He also acknowledged Ukpai’s humanitarian work, noting that “he was also a humanitarian as he set up many charities, schools, and hospitals for the underprivileged.”
“Dr Ukpai has fulfilled his divine mission and has gone to be with the Lord. He fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith,” Tinubu added.
The President extended his condolences to the late evangelist’s family, his wife, Pastor Philomena Uma Ukpai, their children, and members of his ministry.
“I pray that God Almighty grants him eternal rest,” the President said. “I commiserate with his family, especially his wife, Pastor Philomena Uma Ukpai, and his children, as well as members of his ministry. I encourage them to find solace in the great legacy of this beloved servant of God.
Until his death, Dr Uma Ukpai was not only a leading voice in Nigeria’s Pentecostal movement but also a mentor and teacher to generations of ministers and believers. His passing marks the end of an era in Nigerian evangelism, leaving behind a spiritual legacy that continues to inspire across denominations and nations.
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