President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of two prominent Nigerians — renowned evangelist Dr. Uma Ukpai and veteran labour activist Comrade Abiodun Aremu — describing both men as selfless patriots who dedicated their lives to service, faith, and humanity.
In separate condolence messages issued on Monday, October 13, 2025, the President paid glowing tributes to the late evangelist and the labour leader, commending their lifelong devotion to causes that uplifted Nigerians spiritually and socially.
Mourning the passage of Evangelist Dr. Uma Ukpai, who died at 80, President Tinubu described him as “one of God’s generals,” a firebrand preacher who “was filled with fire and ice for the gospel and restoring humanity to discipline, love, and good neighbourliness.”
He noted that the founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association and co-founder of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) played a pivotal role in the Christian revival that swept across Nigeria and parts of Africa in the 1980s.
“Dr. Ukpai’s mission was clearly to unite the Christian fold and spread peace and harmony. He was a builder of men and bridges, linking different faiths, people, tongues, and tribes,” the President said, recalling the evangelist’s historic crusades such as Greater Ibadan for Christ in 1982 and Greater Lagos for Christ in 1985.
The President also lauded the late cleric’s humanitarian efforts through charities, schools, and hospitals for the underprivileged, praying that God grant him eternal rest and comfort to his wife, Pastor Philomena Uma Ukpai, their children, and members of his ministry.
In a separate statement, President Tinubu paid tribute to Comrade Abiodun Aremu, a respected labour activist and human rights advocate who passed away in Ota, Ogun State.
The President described Aremu as “a courageous comrade who remained steadfast in his beliefs and never wavered in his defence of the oppressed,” adding that he “devoted his time, energy, and resources to empowering workers and enhancing their rights in Nigeria.”
