The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has announced plans to hold a posthumous thanksgiving service in honour of its late founding father, Rev. Uma Ukpai, as part of activities marking its 40th anniversary.
Rev. Ukpai, the spiritual leader of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, died on October 6, at the age of 80.
Speaking during a press briefing in Uyo on Wednesday, the PFN national president, Bishop Wale Oke, represented by the national secretary, Bishop David Bakare, said the thanksgiving and award services will hold simultaneously across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on Sunday, October 19.
According to Bishop Bakare, Ukpai had been chosen as the sole minister for the PFN’s 40th anniversary before his death.
“We expected that he would be the main preacher at the celebration. Now that he’s not here, we decided to make the 40th anniversary a celebration of all Baba’s good works while he was here with us,” Bakare said.
He added that the fellowship would use the occasion to celebrate and give thanks to God for Ukpai’s ministry and lifelong dedication to evangelism.
“On the 19th, being Sunday, all the 36 states of Nigeria plus the FCT will hold thanksgiving and award services to celebrate all icons who have been of great blessings to the PFN. And of course, in all the states, Baba will be officially celebrated,” he stated.
Bakare also disclosed that the PFN leadership had visited Ukpai’s widow to offer condolences and prayers to the family.
“The National President is unavoidably absent because he’s out of the country, and he had asked me to lead a team of eminent men to visit Mama and commiserate with the family officially,” he said.
The PFN’s 40th anniversary will also feature recognitions for other Christian leaders who have contributed to the growth of the fellowship and the spread of the gospel in Nigeria.
Ukpai, who founded the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, was one of the founding fathers of the PFN.
His family announced his death in a statement titled “Glorious Transition”, on Monday.
He was born in Abia State and began his ministry several decades ago, rising to national prominence in the 1970s and 1980s through large-scale crusades across Nigeria.
