REV’D DR. UMA UKPAI: MAN ACQUAINTED WITH MIRACLES

Relishes Memories Of His walk With God
And Miracles In This Interview

In 1985, you did something that was very, very historical; what people thought was not possible, particularly within the Christendom: you were able to bring together all Christian leaders, churches. I want to paint a vivid picture of what happened that day. When was it? Which month? Which date? I know it was 1985. Let’s start from that point of view, sir.

That was the month of May, 1985. What do you want to hear?
What happened at the National Stadium? You brought all Christians…

We were able to bring together a choir of 2,000 people. We were able to bring together 21,000 prayer volunteers and turn Lagos into a prayer parlor. Pick those words; those are the things that will draw the picture.

So, that gathering metamorphosed into PFN; which had become a national organization all over Nigeria, and has grown and is still growing. Then we were able to record 3,000 councilors who had to counsel young converts. And we were able to hire 84 molue buses a day for 8 days. Before now, it was believed to be impossible. And we have involved every church. And I had to invest 6 months of planning and relocated to Lagos. I had to live in Lagos for 6 months in an attempt to put together the dream.
So, after that, what has been the state of PFN today?

There was no PFN before then, we gave birth to it. After the pregnancy that delivered PFN in 1985, we were able to spread to every part of Nigeria. In fact, I remember the leftover money after the programme was given back to PFN, to help them mobilize, to help them give birth, to help them kick off the organization called PFN. And amazingly, every part of Nigeria cooperated and supported the programme and the dream and the desire; which was, to me, very confusing. People that did not even know what the programme was all about invested their money, their time, before and after PFN – and it is still being sustained till now.

You are also known to be responsible for the Greater City Crusade for Christ across the nation.
Across the nation; yes!
At what point did you come to the evolution of Greater City crusade for Christ?
Well, Greater City Crusade for Christ started from holding city-wide crusades. City-wide crusades to… One million man; the one million man came after PFN. It was PFN that now gave birth to one million man crusades across the nation.

Your crusades or your services are linked with several wonders, miracles and great deliverances. Can you paint a picture of that?
They were expected events. We knew that the impossible would happen; that the cripples would walk the blind will see. And amazingly, those miracles are still going on till now.
For example, years back while in Owerri, I announced that the 3 cripples present in that meeting would walk, completely healed. Two were born as cripples but God was going to help them walk home.

What does that mean? We were simply saying that what was thought to be impossible was not only going to be possible, but that it shall happen without prayer, without shouting. It will become what I call a manifestation of the presence of God. The miracles happened because of the declaration, as directed by the Spirit of God, not because somebody prayed. And that is a miracle of its own.

When these three began to walk away from Owerri Stadium without prayer, without mobilizing prayer support, it was unexpected.
You’ve also given birth to the Blessings of Abraham crusade. You established a program that holds every January: the blessings of Abraham. So what led to that?
The Bible speaks of Abraham as a man chosen and blessed by God. In the programme, Blessings of Abraham, we remind the children of God that God can bless and beautify their lives if they would submit to this awesome and loving God of Abraham.

Abraham obeyed God without questioning His wisdom and instructions. Neither did the barrenness of Sarah dampen his love for God. Rather, he went the extra mile to serve God. He was willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Abraham’s faithfulness was evident to all, so should our commitment to God be. Then without doubt, His blessings and favour will be our portion even extending to our children.

The book of Genesis chapter 12:1-5 says; The Lord said to Abraham, go from your country, your people and your father’s households to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. That’s a blessing; that is, Abrahams blessings I will bless you and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing.

The above scripture clearly presents Abraham as a man who feared and obeyed God and how God blessed and favoured him, giving him abundant wealth, fighting his battle for him. God can do same for us if we submit to His rulership.
One of the miracles you always talk about is your encounter when you were in Ogoni, Rivers State. So what happened in that encounter?
A madman came to our school and sacked the school. As we were running away; God said to me, you also can sack the madman. So, I commanded him to roll out of the school, and he began to roll. While he was rolling, he said to me, do you know I am naked? When a madman discovers his nakedness that means he’s been healed.

So, will you say that was a confirmation and a validation of the power God has invested in you?
It is not just power God has invested in me, but it is power that God can invest in anybody who has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it means you can do the impossible. It means that God has endued you with power. And power means ability to change the future of people, the life of people, the health of people.
You must have been very young then.
I was about 10 years.

So that means at the age of 10 you had already started carrying out a deliverance service.
Yes! So how did you feel about that?
I did not quite understand it all; to me it was an unfolding situation. It was me discovering what God can do, what this God is doing, what this God promises to do. It is in your Bible, the book of Luke chapter 24:49 and then the book of Acts, chapter 1:8.

ehold I send the promise of my father upon you. But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem untill you be endued with power And he led them out as far as to Bethel. And he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass. While he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried off unto the heavens. Acts 1:8
Okay, so that encounter, how did your parents react to it?

By this time, my father had died; my parents were not Christians. I was living with my uncle in Ogoni. They did not even know what God was doing. God had promised that there would be an enduement of power; he had promised he would do great things, new things. That was what was happening then. And it is till happening up until now, it happened just in November (last year) in Enugu, people were healed during our programme.

How did that make you feel?
It is not really about me, it’s about God doing what he promised to do. The only part I played was to do whatever God asked me to do. It was not about me. It’s about God making a promise and fulfilling the promise and sustaining the promise years after.
So that means over the years, till yesterday, you can say that God has been very, very faithful to you?
Oh yes, more than faithful. I was amazed yesterday morning. People were healed during our services. I am amazed that miracles have been going on without limit and without any hinderance since I answered the call to serve God.

You said, 1955 was the year your father was killed? Yes. So how did you cope with your mom?
Answer: My uncle took me to Ogoni when my father died. My uncle took me to Ogoni to help my mother and to help me get educated. This turned out to be my arrival to the promised land. I started schooling and therefore was led to Christ in Assemblies of God Church. It is this move that brought about who I am today.

So how was your growing up years without your father?
Before I went to Ogoni, God gave me wisdom to generate wealth. With the money I made, my mother was able to cater for my siblings and I.
In the course of your preaching or in the course of what you encountered or interaction with the media, I’ve heard you severally say that there was a particular day God did not answer your prayer. What happened?

As God began to use me, I was privileged to attend a Bible School in Miami, Florida. God so favoured me and I got friends who began to invite me to minister in different States in America. A pastor friend, Dwight Marable decided to take me to Yongi Cho’s convention and at the end of which we smuggled Bibles safely to China. I guess the devil got angry. God did reveal to me that the devil will try to kill my wife. I did pray that God said that the enemy would go only the farthest he (God) permits.

Though my wife almost got drowned, she was miraculously saved but my two children and two cousins, who were in the car that fell off the bridge, got drowned. Before we left Uyo that morning, I discovered that my printing press had been robbed of moveable items. Then while we were trying to retrieve the dead, news came that our bus which was conveying some of our members to burial was involved in an accident but no one died.

Truly, that was a day of tragedy. God revealed to a brother that the devil had planned the worse to kill my wife and discourage me. But God did not allow that. I still went on to preach the next morning after the Children’s burial. I was deeply grieved but God is faithful and I am doing His bidding.
So, since that incident, would you say that God has rewarded or answered you overwhelmingly over the years?

Yes, of course he has. God has honoured his word and performed his word.
Let’s look at the Uma Ukpai Foundation. What led to the establishment of the foundation?
It is just to keep record of what God promised to do, what God had done and what God is doing.
To what extent has God been able to demonstrate His faithfulness in the foundation and life of the people?

We have groups of people who have come to know Christ personally and intimately.
There is a signature tune that is common with you or that you use particularly when you are praying. And that signature tune says: “Soso number on my left, soso number on my right, and in front and behind me, thou power of God in the name of Jesus, move.” This signature tune is being adopted or copied by some other men of God. How did you come about that declaration?

It is just an expression, gotten under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
In view of what has happened over the years, when you say that your father had died, your mum took over, so how was your growing up like; with your mum, being responsible for your welfare?.
My mother was not a pastor. She did not even know what was happening around her. But she took note of what happened. She often wondered what had changed me.

I was no longer rascally or troublesome as other young boys. Though an old man has spoken to her about my future and told her that this child is not her own. She was instructed not to allow me to cook, or be a houseboy and that God has a hand in my future. This added more value to my person. My mother had lost one or two children before I came to stay. So, she was willing to work around me, cook and take care of my needs, if that would keep me alive for her sake! So I was not allowed to work.
Your wife, she’s a primary pillar in your ministry. How did you meet her?

I got to know her during the war when we all had to return to our villages. To keep ourselves busy, hoping the war will stop soon, we formed student union meeting to discuss how we could help out in the village and be the eyes and ears of our community. We also took out time to conduct programmes that encouraged us and make life meaningful in the midst of tears and hardship.
It was after the war, when the reality of death and hardship was on us that many of us began to seek God anew. By now, we were no longer children but youths forced by war to face life and plan for a better future.

I became a fulltime preacher and began to preach in Universities. This was when God told me that she will be my wife. It took God another three years to inform and convince her.
Which year was it? And what attracted you to her?
It was 1975; nothing particularly, just the voice of God. And the impression God gave, the leading God gave, and the urge God gave.

You’ve been married to her for many years now, 49 years. So you’ve stayed with her, you’ve traveled together, you’ve been around with her. What is it in her that if you are to correct? I mean, what is it in her, structurally, physically, that if you are to correct, what would that be?
I have not noticed anything worth correcting. I don’t have any knowledge of what can be corrected; except to accept the fact that we are normal human beings.
What is your sense of fashion? My sense of fashion? That is what those who know me will say, not me.
Do you like the films?
Films? That’s irrelevant.

This is because at times you come out with a lot of attractive clothes, particularly white, shoe to match, and so on. That’s a great sense of fashion.
I believe everybody dresses. There’s nothing particular or peculiar in the way I dress. I just dress by what comes my way. It depends on where we are in the world. We have travelled to every part of the world except Russia. If you were not a preacher or an evangelist, what sort of profession would have been preferable? I can’t think of any. You ventured into journalism?
I read journalism in London School of Journalism for four years, then read theology in Florida

Let’s look at something on a lighter mode; what are the types of food that you like?
I eat anything, because I don’t know how to cook, so I eat anything that is presented to me. A man who doesn’t know how to cook will almost enjoy every food that is presented to him.
What are your likes and your dislikes?

I think I’m just a normal human being. I like what others like. And I do what most people do. I don’t see myself as being special in any way, no. I’m just a normal man, regular Nigerian.
You just mentioned Nigeria, as at the time you were growing up, what was the Nigeria of your dream?
I saw Nigeria as it came, but did not have any preconceived idea. I was expecting nothing, and I rejected nothing.

Would you say that that Nigeria of your dream is the same Nigeria today?
Yes, but Nigeria is about the best place in the world, and to me it is an exciting place. And the people are friendly, the people are warm-hearted, the people are caring, and the people love God, and the people love one another. To me, that is just the best thing anybody can expect.
What are your favorite sites, what are your favorite holiday areas?
I hardly go on holidays, I would not have any answer to that question but wherever life takes me to, I go there.

What lesson have you learnt in the course of growing up till now?
One lesson I have learnt is that all things are possible to them that believe. God can do all things.
Were you a daddy’s boy or a mommy’s boy?
I belong to the two of them. My mother insisted I do whatever my father asked me to do. My father expected me to obey him and asked me to be an avid reader.
Do you have any plan of retiring?

As life comes, I am not expecting anything special, but I will go with the flow of the currents.
You just mentioned that your father was a disciplinarian. What does discipline mean to you?
Discipline means – do whatever you are asked to do by your parents, and desire to please your parents; that there may be harmony and peace around you.

There is a great gap between the men of God of yesterday that are still relevant with what is happening now. What advice do you have for the younger generation that is coming up?
Just love God and obey him; He is an all-round father, all-knowing father, and has a final say in the affairs of the world. What is your final advice for Nigerians in general?

That they should love God and respect him and love one another; nobody is good enough to be your enemy, therefore, nobody should nurse or have an enemy.
If you are to marry all over again, will you marry Pastor Dr. Philomena?
Yes, because God has a final choice in who you marry. And I have made no choice, but God that made thechoice. And I have great comfort with the choice that God made.

Do you have any favorite of all your children?
No! Every child is a puzzle. Only God knows what the child shall bring. Therefore, every child is a mystery and a puzzle. As the world looks forward to January 7, 2025, how do you feel about that date?
No, it doesn’t mean much to me. It’s just the beginning of a new beginning.
What are your words to the world, or Nigerians?

My words to Nigeria is that we, in our attempt to improve the world around us, must keep improving ourselves. Let’s make the world better.
What is it about you that you would like to correct?
No, nothing I know of. So generally speaking, God has been faithful to you?
He has been more than faithful and has supplied all my needs. And he’s been great. There is none as wonderful as he is.

What advice do you have for the Nigerian leaders?
Let them follow the Son. Yes, let them follow the son. Or, if I use it in a proper expression, let them follow the Bible and obey the Bible. And love whoever is your neighbor; and care for one another.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Sam Loco Smith and was obtained from 80th Planning Committee