S4 Ep. 255 Honoring Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai And The Fire He Lit In Us

A single laugh can change a room. We open our hearts to honor Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, tracing the way his voice, his songs, and his steady joy taught us how to worship with depth and walk with God in ordinary hours. This is a story told through vivid scenes—childhood pews, a crowded Uniport arena in 1999, the hush before a hymn—and through the lingering impact of a life that turned reverence into culture.

We explore how influence becomes legacy: how a name becomes an action, how worship shapes hunger, and how consistency outlives applause. Along the way, we share eyewitness moments that still feel electric—students climbing trees just to hear ancient words, the air thick with expectation, and a chorus that moved like a river. We also look outward, connecting those memories to larger threads of spiritual transfer and mentorship through mantle stories from Reinhard Bonnke and Lester Sumrall. These accounts aren’t nostalgia; they are working blueprints for anyone asking how faith is handed down with integrity.

Grief has a place here too. We sit with the line that tears are the lubricants of the soul and let it guide a healthier way to mourn and heal. Instead of glossing over loss, we honor it, listening for the wisdom that sorrow can reveal. From there, the question turns practical: how do we keep the flame alive? We talk about unhurried worship, mentoring the next voice, telling truer stories, and using our platforms—big or small—to serve something greater than ourselves.

If this moved you, subscribe and tap the notification bell so you never miss a moment. Share this tribute with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review with your own memory or takeaway. Your story might be the spark someone else is waiting for.

Chapters

• 0:00 Opening And Show Welcome
• 1:06 Framing A Tribute And Its Meaning
• 2:48 Naming Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai
• 3:35 Reading The Tribute Poem
• 6:35 Early Encounters And Childhood Influence
• 10:05 The 1999 Uniport Crusade Memories
• 13:30 How His Worship Shaped Our Longing
• 17:05 Stories Of Mantles And Generational Transfer
• 21:15 Lessons On Sorrow, Tears, And Healing
• 24:05 Keeping The Flame And Closing Calls

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. And good everything. Wherever you are at this very instant. Yep. In the land of the living. Listening to me or seeing me. How are you? Always an exciting moment for me each time I sit within this space to share with you. Yes, welcome to the World Cafe Live Show. Yeah, you know how I say it. This is that space where we come in to lean on one another's experience to forge a positive path. Aha. We're here again. How are you? How are you? Yes, yes, yes, yes. I'm fine. 2025 has been an exciting year. We've had so many things going on. Eventful, I must say, you know, like you know how I say it, life is not an event. It can be eventful. And that's what we've been having. Uh today I have something quite interesting, solemn, and uh to share with you. It's more of a tribute. A tribute. I thought of how to begin the show today, and all I was just playing with so many things in my head. Don't worry, you will get there. But there's something I've come to realize, you know, I think I've written about it before. It all starts with a noun. You know, when you start the English language or language now, and you it snowballs into a verb. You know, a now is what you know what it is. What is a verb? An action. So it starts with a now, it ends with an action. The earth has witnessed a lot of this. When you look at activities on the earth, you come to see that it is what we come to appreciate are the verbs as a result of the nouns. I guess you're wondering what I am talking about. People create the story. Individuals shape society, move things around. They create this aspiration and hunger and thirst in us that we want to uh live up to. Yep, they do that. Sometimes you you you check a society or you you check a community. The story is about a hero or a villain. Mm-hmm. So who am I talking about today? Whose tribute? Who am I uh giving this tribute to? Earlier this week, in the month of October, we had this uh I'll call it uh sweet star story. The passing of somebody I consider an amazing individual who worked with God. His name is Reverend Dr. Umar Ubai. So, yes. Um, I I struggled with it that I have to do this, like a tribute to him, an amazing individual. And I'm going to tell you one or two things. I'm not going to claim that I knew him one-on-one, no, but I've sat under his teachings, have sat under his ministrations as a teenager, and I must tell you those words, those ministrations impacted my life. So I'm going to read something I wrote as a tribute to him, then I'm going to share with you my experience, you know, experiencing divinity through him. I quite remember that day at the Convocation Arena Uniport. His laughter roared through the air like a sacred wind, and somehow we all knew divinity had stepped into the room. The atmosphere thickened with heaven's hush, and before us stood a man clothed in God's own aura. What filled our hearts was not applause, but a longing, a longing for divinity's infinity. A few months ago I penned words to celebrate his birthday, words of joy, for a man whose journey had become a lamp for countless souls, and today I awake to the silence of his translation. And even in that silence I hear him still, his laughter, his song, his unyielding declaration that God's grace is real and God is near. In this house, yes, in this nation, we all have our own stories of him, especially that day at the convocation arena, when heaven leaned low to listen. We encountered the weight of grace upon his life. He showed us what authority looks like when the bearer walks hand in hand with the giver. He carried God in his voice, calling him names that unraveled the father's heart. His laughter was music, his dance a sermon to the stars, majestic yet intimate, as though heaven's king himself had whispered the reading. For four score years he walked the earth with the fire in his bones and mercy in his eyes, he poured out his best, and we his witnesses stand as living echoes of that grace. Now he joins the glorified heaven's great choir, his crown in hand, to cast before the throne, and though the earth mouns, heaven sings, for one of its finest has come home. I had to write this. The first time I encountered him, I think I was in senior secondary school two, SS two, SS3, as we call it in Nigeria, way back in my secondary school days. We I I no, that wasn't the first. Like I still, yes, I'm still growing in the church. I attended Assemblies of God Church growing up. My grandmom calls it, I have to say it, Assemble and God. That's how she calls it. So that was my first encounter of Reverend Dr. Omar Pai as a child growing up. Yeah, he was big within the ministry of Assemblies of God Church, not just in Nigeria, Africa and the world. Then that name Reverend Dr. Um Pai is coming for a revival service or a crusade and all of that. And I longed for it. As a child, we will sit and listen to him, you know, the way he, his command of presence, that he spoke so well. He had a way with words, you know, the way he describes and the way he, you know, uh delivers messages quite eloquently, exciting to listen to and to behold. So each time we hear that he's coming, my. So this particular day in Senior Secondary School, SS3, I I was staying with my uncle then. He's also translated. I was, you know, going to his house, spending time and all that. He was worshiping with the redeemed Christian Church of God. Uh, there's this one of their biggest parishes in Port Hackett, uh King's Palace, yeah, somewhere in Jerry. I think they're still there. And we're having this crusade, and it will end up on with a service. It was huge. A week, I think it was a week-long program or so, but my uncle uh had a diner in his honor, and I heard he was coming to the house. We also had an event in my uncle's house that period. I was super excited. Very excited. So I mean, I said, I'm going to see him. My uncle called everybody in the estate uh where he was residing then, like Reverend Dr. Mark Bai is going to be around. Please be my guest. I still remember when he came down from the vehicle. He was dressed in white, white shoes, his hair well combed, his face glowing, shining. And he came down. And my uncle went to welcome him, and he smiled. And he said, Are you the one who wants to spoil me this evening? Those were his words, exact words. I was just by the sideline looking at him. My uncle answered and said, Yes. You're welcome to my, you know, and he stayed. But I left almost immediately because I had other people that came for another event that I had to take back home. And I was like, I have to go drop them, then I have to come back. I need to sit at his feet and listen to him and all that. But on my way back, I saw him driving off. I felt like, oh, I missed seeing him at that, you know, close range. So the Sunday, we went to church. He preached as usual. You know, he's full of testimonies. You know, he said they overcame by the word of their testimony and the blood of the lamb. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He goes on and on, tons of testimonies, some of them too good to be true. Like, really? Did this happen? But they did. And the next time I saw him again was in university. Yep. University of Port Hackard, you know, campus fellowship. Then, if you go to campuses today in Nigeria, uh we we we have so many fellowships, like, you know, and all of that, but there's one central body that brings everybody together. It's called the JCCF, the Joint Christian Campus Fellowship. So in Uniport, there's this annual event. Then I don't know if the name is still there, come and see. And, you know, every year we usually invite ministers from within the country, you know, who are big, you know, in the I mean in the Christian body and all of that. And that particular year, we invited Reverend Dr. Maopai, 1999. I remember. I'll follow up to the tribute because I posted it on Facebook, and my classmates who were there responded, you know. Let me read, let me, let me read a response from uh one of my classmates, Jackai is his name. He said, I was one of the witnesses of that great glory that enveloped the convocational arena of the University of Porthack in Come and See Crusade that year, 1999. I remember Brother Edward slept under the anointing from that crusade till the next morning. The said brother Edward was carried while still under the influence of the anointing from the convocation arena in Abuja campus to our room in Choba campus. And he slept on our bed till the next morning before the anointing was lifted. Then my roommate and I call him my bone brother. Chikudu may be Sydney Bokwe somewhere in Australia now. He said, I remember we all sat together at the arena. People climbed trees just to have a glimpse and hear ancient words. I attended all his crusades as a kid. He challenged our desires for more of God. A colossus. He is alive in the presence of God. So these were eyewitnesses. So when he came, that period come and see. That was the name of the crusade. I think it's still on, as in he walked in the I sat down there at the arena, just the way uh Chikudume be, my friend and brother, were roommates together in school, alluded to. People practically climbed trees because the arena was full. Students, villagers, uh commercial business, just name it, drivers, people packed their vehicles. That Reverend Dr. Mark Pai was in uniport for I think two nights or three, I think it was Friday, Saturday, Sunday. And when he came in, oh my there's something about him that fascinated me. The way he praised God. He praised God with this sense of pride, very humble, but a sense of pride. Like he's seen God standing right there before him. He's not in a hurry, the words come out stealthily, the word comes out like with so much adoration. Ah, I learned how to worship God through him. So let me let me tell you, if you've listened to him worship God, he goes this way. He starts this way. Those native Nigerian or African songs. There's this particular one. Aye, a yeah, aye, a yeah, aye. That's a Ghanaian tune, I think. Then if you're singing a Nigerian song, an Ibu song, something like something like this Chineken De Wo Devo Oneekeroa De Woo Imela Chinekena De Wo De Wo Ne Kero N De Wo Himela. He goes he goes so melodic at the same time like with this appreciation and he's never in a hurry. Or is it the one he goes when he sings the is it acquired more efic songs now? He goes this way, this particular one. Uh don't mind me, I'll remember it. I sing it a lot. Uh oh no, no, no. Why did I forget it now? When I remember the song, I was singing it. And every, each and every one of us just desired that thing, the longing. We just looked at him the way he goes. And he goes with that laughter. There's this, there's this his laughter. There's the way he laughs. It is divine. I'm not trying to, I'm not going to mimic him, but something like, hey. And when he goes that way, the whole atmosphere is blanketed with the glory of God. I mean that arena, I still remember it. Amanam Eanabasiamanam a Amanamo E anabasiamanam son so. He goes, Emaila One Wani Mela A E Mela O One Wanya Mama. He he carried the caboard of God. That's my that's me talking. Each time I remember him, even before passing, these two stories come to my mind. The story of Reinhard Bonkin and Lester Somrell, and I'm going to talk about them in tribute also to uh Reverend Dr. Mal Pai. Reinhard was known, as in Reinhard Bonkin was known a great evangelist. There was a story I read about how he longed for the glory of God. Now, one of his trainings, one of the trainings, he traveled to Europe. I think the mission that had him, the school or seminary and all that, they had a tour. So they went to see a man of God. He had a twin brother. I've forgotten the name of the twins now, but they were known. If you read about the God's generals, two brothers, fairy, fairy. So they went when they went to visit the tour guard, took them into the house of this man of God. At that time, one had translated, the brother was still, the second was still around. So they went around the house, saw, you know, he took them round his study house. They had some time questions with him. But something caught Reinhard Bunkin's attention in his private prayer room. He saw two nil nil prints on the floor. And he inquired. He said, okay, that's where he prays. So imagine for there to be nil prints. Imagine the time spent on that place regularly. So Reinhard went there and knelt down. Now, some when after the tour, whatever they left, the tall guard realized when he counted, they were not complete. Reinhard was missing. Where is he? When they went back there, they saw him kneeling down there, praying to receive this grace upon the life of this man on his life. Just praying fervently. And the other one walked in and saw him. He felt like I've been waiting for someone that will carry this glory. He released it on him. We know the story of Reinhardt. Reinhard Bunkin. We all know his story. Lester Somrell was another man of God, uh, the early 19th century or 20th century, before the Second World War. Or no, at the Second World War. So he's an American, or he was an American because he has also translated. So he he went to England to spend some time missionary, as a missionary and all that, and he heard about this man of God, Smith Wigglesworth. And he felt like I need to see him. And somehow Smith Wigglesworth also had come to hear about him, a young minister from the U.S. who was, you know, uh vibrant and all that. So they had this minister's conference from the from his description. Smith Wigglesworth was very tall, stoic looking, study frame. He walked up to him and like, young man, I'd like to have coffee with you. It's like, okay. So he went to his house, invited him to his house. He said he went to his house with dressed like uh an Englishman. He had his uh umbrella, he had his heart, tucked a newspaper under his aunt Pete with his coat and all of that. When he got there, Smith asked him, What's that under your auntie? He said, The newspaper said, That's the devil's property. Doesn't come into my house. Stuck it, I mean, throw it in the bush. Did that, came in. He said, When he got to the place, he sat down with him. He brought out his Bible. So they're studying his Bible. The doctor came, gave them tea. He was expecting me to have a conversation with him, but he didn't. He was just reading his Bible. Stood up. When it was time for his nap, you know, to take a nap, looked at him and said, Let's do this again tomorrow. Stood up and left. And he was like, I don't get it. The daughter smiled and looked at him, like, that's study for you. He left. Came back again the same next day. The same thing happened. And when the Second World War broke out, because then the war, the the news of the Second World War was like brewing and boom, the war. So the British announced that non-English or British citizens should return to their country because they won't, they were held responsible if anything happens to them. So he had to go back to America. But before he was going, he went to see him. And Smith looked at him and he told him. So Smith didn't say much. He just held him close. He said, I see a change coming. I see a change. I won't be part of it. But you will be. He said, as he was praying, the tears from his face fell on him. It felt like fire all over him. Go check Leicester Somerel. When you talk about the great revivals in the US of A and some part of Africa, you hear Leicester. Even I think late Bishop, Archbishop Bethany Dahosa had an encounter with Leicester also. These are men who changed the story of the world. Yeah. That's what I came to do on the show today. Scripture says, give honor to whom it is due. A lot of us, in one way or the other, had encountered him. You know, part of my writing and part of my speaking and expressing myself was influenced by Reverend Dr. Omaopai. Yes. I was telling my wife, subconsciously, there was this story. He had his own pain. He had his own losses. Like I said, I don't I don't have a personal relationship. I did not with him, but I stood from a place and I watched him closely. I followed him. He gave the story of a mother who lost her child. And they called him. Said there's nothing I can do. Like, how would you say that? He said, I don't have that release. He now asked them. The people that called him, did she cry? I said yes. He said, Good. Tears are the lubricants of the soul. If you read my book, A Cocktail of Words, you see when I wrote about it, that was where I encountered. Tears when we cry, it lubricates our soul. There is a voice in the in your tears. When you cry, your tears have voice. They are soothing also. He was an amazing man of God. And I know he would want us to keep the flame alive. He would want us to talk about God more the way he did. That's the song Amimo Amimo Ammo Amoyo Ammo Amimo Ammo A nevo Jehovah Amimo Aminque. When he sings that song of my the atmosphere will just come alive. And you hear him begin to give orders to my right, to my left. And he says, I see them. Yes, the angels, they are working. Amazing. Alright, guys. This is what we do in this space. We promote positivity. We promote God's goodness. You know how we say it on the show. Mm-hmm. Alright, guys, before I run, we're available on all the social media platforms TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify. I realize Spotify is promoting so much now these days, they even have V. GDU podcast now on Spotify. We'll try and optimize it. We have a YouTube channel. Are you subscribed? Please subscribe. Yes. Go ahead. Hit that notification button so that when episodes like this drop, you'll be the first to glean. Share with your friends, share with your family, share with everybody. It's solemn for me. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Thank you for being there. Thank you. This is the space where we come in to lean on one and others' experience to forge a positive path. Till I come here again. My name is Amakri. Amakri is away. Bye for now.