President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of renowned evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, Dr Uma Ukpai, describing him as a “firebrand crusader of faith” and “one of God’s generals.”
In a condolence message issued on Monday from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Tinubu said Dr Ukpai, who died at the age of 80, was not just a preacher but “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 paid glowing tribute to the late cleric’s remarkable evangelistic work, recalling his major crusades — Greater Ibadan for Christ in 1982 and Greater Lagos for Christ in 1985 — which, according to him, “were phenomenal in proportion and impact.”
Tinubu noted that Evangelist Ukpai played a key role in Nigeria’s spiritual revival in the 1980s and was instrumental in founding the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), adding that his ministry helped promote unity across faiths and communities.
“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,” the President stated.
The President also highlighted Ukpai’s humanitarian contributions, including the establishment of schools, hospitals, and charities 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 said, praying for his eternal rest.
President Tinubu extended his condolences to the evangelist’s widow, Pastor Philomena Uma Ukpai, their children, and members of his ministry, urging them to take comfort in the enduring legacy of service and faith he left behind.
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