STEVE UNEGBU, Umuahia
Abia State Government has held a State burial service in honour of the late Abia born global evangelist and God’s General, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, who died at the age of 80 years.
Speaking at the event held at the International Conference Centre Umuahia on Thursday, March 26th, Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti urged people to live a good life so that when they are no more, they would be remembered for good.
Gov. Otti noted that Papa Uma Ukpai did not die but only transited.
“How can he die? You can see the children that came out, the great work that he did here.
“So, the challenge is for all of us. What would people say on a day like this, when it is our turn?
You can see testimonies everywhere. I’m sure that you have been blessed,” Gov. Otti stated.
The State Chief Executive thanked God for the gift of Rev. Dr Uma Ukpai to Abia State, Nigeria and the World and disclosed that he decided to honour him because honour should be given to whom it is due.
“We thank God for the gift of Papa Uma Ukpai, to our generation, to our dear State, to Akwa Ibom State, to Nigeria, to Africa, and to the World.
“Our decision to honour him is in our character of giving honour to whom honour is due,” Gov. Otti reaffirmed.
Governor Otti eulogised late Rev. Uma Ukpai, “So daddy, we thank you for the contribution you made to our State.
“We thank you for what you represented and we wish you well. Good night,” Gov. Otti concluded.
Governor Otti, who further appreciated the wife of the deceased, Pastor Mrs Philomena Uma Ukpai for granting approval for the State to honour the husband, urged the bereaved family not to weep like those without hope.
“I want to thank you Mummy (Mrs Ukpai) for allowing us, giving us the honour to bury him.
“And to the family of the bereaved. You can weep, but not like the unbelievers, because he knows where he is headed.
“If you weep so much, maybe you are weeping for yourself. But for him, it is clear where he is headed.
On that resurrection morning, I have no doubts that our daddy and all those who died in the Lord will wake up.
They will resurrect, and we will meet with them again. That is the promise that God gave us,”
Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by the Deputy Governor, Senator Dr Akon Eyakenyi, described Rev. Uma Ukpai as a visionary.
Governor Eno, who noted that the deceased fought a good fight of faith and finished well, encouraged Abian’s, Akwa Ibomites and all Nigerians to take heart, as he lived a good life worthy of emulation.
In their tributes, the National Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Rev. Prof. Mosy Madugba who spoke on behalf of PFN, while noting that it is good to die the death of a righteous man, described Rev. Ukpai as a global voice and unifier of the Ministers of the gospel .
They noted that, this is the first time the PFN is placing her flag on the coffin of anybody in Nigeria, and emphasised that his legacy transcends generations, adding that he lived a good life and yielded himself to God, who used him to affect lives positively.
Earlier in his sermon, the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, stressed the need for all to come to Jesus, insisting that it is only giving one’s life to Christ that would make one to die a righteous death.
Bishop Oke, who took his text from Numbers 23:10 and spoke on the topic, “Let me die the death of the righteous”, said that, while alive, Rev. Uma Ukpai taught people how to die a death of the righteous, through preaching the gospel of grace as against religiousity.
He noted that Rev. Uma Ukpai did not serve money nor corrupt the gospel but lived a life of holiness, hence, God made his death glorious.
He added that Rev. Uma Ukpai followed God in deed and in preaching.
In a vote of thanks, the first son of Rev. Uma Ukpai, Dr Chidi Uma on behalf of the family thanked the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti and all individuals who attended the State burial for identifying with them in their time of challenges.
He assured that the family is standing on the rock, which their father established for them, adding that they would follow it.
The State burial service, which attracted many dignitaries including Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State and his wife, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, Deputy Governors, wife of the former Governor of Edo State, Bassey Obaseke, members of the National Assembly, members of Abia and other State Houses of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, President of General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta Mbata, and many servants of God, traditional rulers led by Eze Dr Linus Nto Mbah, and people from all walks of life featured choir renditions and prayers for the family.
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