Olayiwola Matthew
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has disclosed how the resilience of renowned evangelist Rev. Uma Ukpai supported him during the difficult period following the death of his son, Dare Adeboye.
Dare, the third child of Pastor Adeboye, passed away on May 4, 2021, in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, where he lived with his family. Before his death, Dare served as the Assistant Pastor in charge of Region (Youth) 35 and was married to Temiloluwa, with whom he had three daughters.
Speaking at a special service held at the International Worship Centre in Uyo on Friday to mark Ukpai’s 80th birthday, Pastor Adeboye revealed that Rev. Ukpai’s unwavering faith played a significant role in helping him cope with the loss of his son.
Describing Dare’s death as the darkest moment of his Christian journey, Pastor Adeboye shared that he drew strength from Ukpai’s exemplary lifestyle. He further remarked that the full extent of Ukpai’s impact would be more deeply recognized after his passing.
In his words, “If you really, really want to serve God, then you must be ready to serve him whether things are pleasant or not.
“In the darkest moment of my life since becoming a Christian — when I lost my son without notice — my son called me on a Sunday evening and said, ‘Daddy, the weekend programme was extremely successful. Glory be to God, thank you for your prayer support.’ The next thing I heard on Tuesday night was that my son was gone.
“I had to preach on Friday, and one reference point that gave me strength was Uma Ukpai. I know he lost more than one child in a day, yet he did not waver. He kept on serving God. He gave me strength at a time when I needed it most.”