Peter Obi, Governors Diri, Eno In Abia As Otti Organizes State Burial For Uma Ukpai

Abia State Governor Alex Otti on Thursday presided over a grand state burial service for the late Reverend Dr Uma Ukpai, the celebrated Nigerian evangelist who passed away last October at the age of 80.

The ceremony, held at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, drew a high-profile crowd that reflected the late cleric’s towering influence across the Southeast and beyond. Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno were among the dignitaries present. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General John Mbata also attended, alongside other political and religious leaders.

NaijaChoice News reports that Governor Otti used the occasion to urge Nigerians, especially people of Abia and Akwa Ibom States and the wider Christian community, to emulate the deceased’s exemplary life. “Uma Ukpai did not die; he only transited. His legacies remain indelible,” Otti said. He called on citizens to live worthy lives so they too would be remembered for good rather than mourned in sorrow.

Governor Umo Eno, represented by his deputy Akon Eyakenyi, described the late evangelist as a visionary leader who raised a generation of upright citizens. In his sermon, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria President Bishop Francis Wale Oke told mourners that Reverend Ukpai never chased money but devoted his entire life to serving God and humanity.

Reverend Dr Uma Ukpai, born on January 7, 1945, in Asaga, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, founded the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association with headquarters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. For decades, he conducted massive crusades across Nigeria and internationally, mentoring countless pastors and impacting millions through faith, healing and humanitarian work.

The state burial, organised by the Abia government, underscored the late cleric’s deep roots in the state and his enduring contribution to Nigeria’s Christian heritage. Many who spoke at the event said his transition should inspire fresh commitment to righteous living rather than grief.