Followers gift Uma Ukpai N80 million on 80th birthday

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Uma Ukpai’s followers have gifted the renowned Nigerian evangelist N80 million to mark his 80th birthday anniversary.

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Uma is the founder and president of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, headquartered in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He turned 80 on Tuesday, 7 January.

He is revered as one of the Pentecostal leaders in Nigeria.

According to a post on the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association’s Facebook page, the N80 million was donated to the cleric on 9 January by persons under the aegis of “Sons, Daughters, Partners, and Protégés of Rev Uma Ukpai”.

“Sons and Daughters proudly present an 80th birthday gift to Daddy Uma Ukpai. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this possible —your reward is loading in grand style!” the Facebook post stated, accompanied by a photo of a cheque.

Emmah Isong, the pastor of Christian Central Chapel International in Calabar, Cross River State, is among those seen in the photo holding the cheque.

The post did not, however, mention the number of persons who contributed the N80 million.

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‘God’s gift to Akwa Ibom’

Meanwhile, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has described Uma as “God’s gift to Akwa Ibom State”.

Mr Eno stated this on Thursday during a special service at the International Worship Centre, Uyo, to mark Uma’s 80th birthday.

“I am here to join the body of Christ to celebrate a great man of God on this joyous occasion. The theme of this celebratory event – the public lecture – is ‘The man from Ohafia’, which is quite fitting, given our father’s love for his place of birth and the pride the people of Ohafia feel for him.

“But if I may add a corollary to the theme, I would say ‘The Man from Ohafia and God’s gift to Akwa Ibom.

“For the most part, if not the entirety of our dear father’s life as an evangelist and a Christian warrior, Akwa Ibom has been a fabric of his life. He has projected our dear state to all corners of the world through his evangelistic pursuits,” the governor said.

Governor Eno prayed for God to bless Uma with a long life.

Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, was the guest speaker at the event.

Other notable clerics who attended the event were Ayo Oritsejafor and Mike Okonkwo.

A former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom, Akon Eyakenyi, the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, and the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Enobong Uwah, were among the dignitaries at the event.