The fifth child of the late renowned evangelist, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, Dwight Uma, has revealed that there were unusual signs before his father’s passing, describing it as a moment deeply marked by divine mystery.
Naija News recalls that the celebrated preacher, founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, passed away on October 6, 2025, at the age of 80, as announced in a family statement titled “Glorious Transition.”
Speaking in an interview with Punch, Dwight shared that his father had long hinted at his eventual passing, even predicting the approximate time of his departure.
“Some years ago, I had dreams about events that unfolded this year, though I didn’t fully understand them,” he said. “My father himself had predicted he would leave at a certain time. We didn’t want him to go, but we also know God owns every life.”
Dwight recalled that during their last youth conference in Uyo, the late evangelist, despite his frail health, insisted on attending just to encourage the youths.
“He wasn’t coming to preach or perform; he just wanted to be present and lift our spirits,” Dwight recounted. “He even told one of my siblings to ‘take care of your mother.’ Barely two weeks after that, he passed on. That moment has stayed with us.”
Dwight also opened up about the sacrifices the family made for the ministry, noting that their father’s calling often kept him away from home.
“We didn’t always have him to ourselves. Sometimes I wanted him to attend school events or talk personally, but he was always travelling for ministry. As we grew older, we embraced that calling and supported him wholeheartedly,” he said.
He concluded by saying that, though they missed out on a typical childhood, the family found joy in serving God and following their father’s legacy of faith and sacrifice.
