Press Release
Dr. Uma Ukpai: A Soldier of Christ Has Gone to Be With The Lord-Governor Alex Otti
The Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, received with sadness, the news of the passing of a revered man of God and one of Abia’s most impactful and celebrated religious ambassadors, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, whose death was announced by his family a few hours ago
Governor Otti recalls the father-son relationship that existed between him and Dr. Ukpai over the years, describing his exit as devastating because of the massive vacuum it has created in Christendom, the state and the country.
According to the Governor “Our father in the Lord, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai has, to the joy of the Heavens and celebration of the Angels, gone to be with the Lord. He was the father of all, a soldier of Christ and a generational teacher who yielded himself to Christ and became a potent instrument for healing of the sick, salvation for lost souls, fulfilment of the scriptures and manifestation of the prophesies of God. His death is devastating because of the positive influence he wielded, the positive impacts he made, the lives he touched in very special ways, and above all, the vacuum his exit has created” the Governor stated.
Governor Otti, while regretting that Papa Uma Ukpai passed on when his services to God and humanity were still being enjoyed, added that his, is not a death, but a journey to Higher Glory.
Governor Otti, on behalf of his family, the government and people of Abia State, sends his deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Ukpai and the Christian community, praying that God would give them the courage to accept his exit and uphold the enduring fire of Glory he ignited in the vineyard of the Lord.
Ferdinand Ekeoma
Special Adviser to the Governor
(Media and Publicity)
October 13, 2025.
