Video of Pastor Adeboye Talking About Uma Ukpai Before His Death Emerges, "My Biggest Encouragement"
- Pastor Enoch Adeboye described the late Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai as one of his greatest spiritual inspirations, recalling their first meeting over 40 years ago
- Adeboye said he learned the importance of true worship and unwavering service to God from Ukpai, lessons that shaped his ministry
- Reflecting on his darkest moments, Adeboye shared how Ukpai’s teachings strengthened his faith after the sudden loss of his son
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has described the late Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai as one of the greatest spiritual influences and encouragements in his life.
Adeboye made the remark during a past tribute at a special programme held in honour of the renowned evangelist, long before his passing.
Source: Twitter
According to Pastor Adeboye, he first met Dr. Ukpai over 40 years ago when the evangelist visited Lagos for a crusade that left a lasting impression on him.
“He may not know this, but he has been one of the greatest encouragements in my life. I met him for the first time more than 40 years ago when he came to Lagos for that wonderful crusade, and I’ve been following him ever since I was a small boy," Adeboye said.
The respected pastor added humorously,
“Then I was a small boy; now I’m still a small boy—only that ‘more’ might be different from ‘small.’”
Adeboye shares lessons learned from Uma Ukpai
A video cited by Legit.ng showed where Pastor Adeboye was recalling that one of the most important lessons he learned from Uma Ukpai was the power of true worship.
“From the very first time I met him, I learned that if you really want God to come down and be present in any of your programmes, you must learn to worship Him.
“If you see me worshipping God before preaching, it is because I follow in the footsteps of a great man like him," he explained.
He noted that Ukpai’s life exemplified unwavering faith and total dedication to God, even in challenging times.
“If you really want to serve God, then you must be ready to serve Him whether things are pleasant or not,” Adeboye remarked.
Adeboye recalls comfort in dark moments of grief
The revered preacher also shared how Ukpai’s teachings and example gave him strength during one of the most painful periods of his life, the sudden loss of his son.
"During the most critical moment of my life, when I lost my son unexpectedly, I recalled what I learned from him," Adeboye declared.
He remembered how his son had phoned him after a successful weekend programme, shouting, "Daddy, the programme was very successful. Glory be to God." On Tuesday evening, however, he received the tragic news of his son's death.
"I still needed to preach that Friday," Adeboye went on gravely, stressing the power of faith and divine certainty in times of grief.
Uma Ukpai described as mentor of faith
Adeboye concluded that Dr. Uma Ukpai’s legacy extends far beyond his sermons, describing him as “a great man of God whose example continues to inspire generations.”
He said Ukpai’s unwavering faith, humility, and commitment to evangelism had set a standard for Christian ministry in Nigeria and beyond.
“Even now, his life continues to teach us that true greatness lies in serving God faithfully, regardless of circumstances,” Adeboye said.
Nigerians react as renowned Evangelist Uma Ukpai dies at 80
Previously, Legit.ng reported that, a prominent Christian voice and respected evangelist, Reverend Dr Uma Ukpai, died at the age of 80. His family made the grim announcement to the public in an emotional message on Monday, October 13, and promised to release burial details very soon.
No sooner had the obituary of the man of God become public than Nigerians flooded social media with emotional tributes and reactions to the fallen man of God.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
