Governor Eno Receives Uma Ukpai’s Body At Uyo Airport

UYO – Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, personally received the mortal remains of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai at the Victor Attah International Airport on Friday.

The late evangelist, a towering figure in Nigeria’s Pentecostal movement, passed away on October 6, 2025, at the age of 80. His body arrived in Uyo ahead of a series of funeral programmes that will span Akwa Ibom and his home state of Abia.

Governor Eno, who described the cleric as a true servant of God whose life and ministry touched the world, said the church had lost a general. He led government officials and church leaders in paying respects at the airport, stressing that Rev. Ukpai lived, served, and launched his global impact from Akwa Ibom soil.

Speaking in an emotion-laden voice, the governor declared that on behalf of the government and people of Akwa Ibom State, he was receiving the body and handing it over to the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) for onward movement to Victory Cathedral for lying in state. From there, the remains will proceed to Abia State for interment.

Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, born on January 7, 1945, in Asaga, Ohafia, Abia State, founded the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association with headquarters in Uyo. For over six decades, he conducted crusades across Nigeria and beyond, known for his emphasis on faith, healing, deliverance, and humanitarian work through schools, scholarships, and community projects.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the governor had earlier cut short a state executive council meeting to pay a condolence visit to the family and also supported a Night of Songs and Tributes organised by the Akwa Ibom State Government in honour of the deceased.

The development underscores the deep bond between the late cleric and Akwa Ibom, where he built his ministry base despite his Abia roots. Church leaders and thousands of faithful have described his home-going as the exit of a spiritual general whose legacy will continue to shape Christianity in Nigeria and across Africa.

Funeral activities, which include medical outreach and welfare programmes in Ukanafun Local Government Area, are already underway as the state and the wider church community prepare to give the evangelist a befitting burial.

Governor Eno’s gesture has been widely applauded as a mark of honour to a man who dedicated his life to the propagation of the Gospel and the spiritual upliftment of the nation.