From ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, Uyo
Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has dedicated its forthcoming 40th anniversary to honour the late renowned evangelist, Reverend Uma Ukpai, one of its founding fathers.
The organisation described Ukpai as a pillar of faith whose ministry transformed Christianity in Nigeria.
Its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare announced this yesterday in Uyo during a press conference confirming the passing of the revered evangelist.
President of the orgabisation, Bishop Wale Oke said the decision to convert the PFN 40th anniversary into a posthumous thanksgiving was a fitting tribute to the man who pioneered the fellowship’s vision four decades ago.
“PFN was Baba Ukpai’s first born because his crusade birthed the fellowship and he nurtured it till this hour,” he said.
He disclosed that the celebration would hold in three tiers across Uyo, Lagos and Abuja, reflecting the nationwide impact of the late evangelist’s ministry.
According to him, Ukpai was originally billed to be the sole speaker at the 40th anniversary before his death, but the leadership resolved to continue the programme in his honour.
“Now that he is not here, we have decided to make the 40th anniversary a celebration of all Baba’s good works while he was with us,” Bishop Bakare said.
He described Ukpai as “an icon of great value, a trailblazer and a gift from God to the church, the nation, and the world.”
The PFN secretary announced that the first phase of the thanksgiving service would hold on Sunday, October 19 across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where special thanksgiving and award services would be held simultaneously to celebrate the late cleric and other contributors to PFN’s growth.
The second tier, he said, would take place on October 23 at the Redemption City, Old Arena, Lagos, which would serve as the national thanksgiving service.
The final phase of the celebration will hold on October 27 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, featuring a dinner and award night where eminent Nigerians and church leaders will be honoured.
He said PFN deliberately chose Uyo, Ukpai’s base, as the venue to make the official announcement of his passing, describing it as symbolic and respectful of the place where his global ministry began.
