Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, the towering figure of Nigerian evangelism whose voice thundered across crusade grounds for over five decades, has passed away at the age of 80.
He died peacefully on October 6, 2025, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, after a period of age-related illness, according to family sources.
More than a preacher, Ukpai was a movement. From the 1970s onward, his Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA) became a symbol of fiery faith, miraculous healings, and stadium-filling crusades that brought hope to millions.
His message was bold, his presence magnetic, and his mission clear: take the gospel beyond walls and denominations.
With his passing, Nigeria loses not just a spiritual leader, but one of the last of a generation that reshaped the face of modern African Pentecostalism.
