The award-winning gospel singer Frank Edwards has shared a deeply personal testimony about how the late Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai changed his life forever.
In an emotional Instagram post, the “Under the Canopy” crooner revealed that he was miraculously healed of asthma and pneumonia at just eight years old during one of Rev. Ukpai’s crusades in Enugu.
“At age 8, I got healed of asthma and pneumonia in one of your crusades in Enugu! Thank you for specially impacting the world! You finished well, papa. Rest on”, Edwards wrote.
For the gospel artist, who has often spoken about his battle with chronic respiratory illness, the encounter was a life-changing moment that freed him from years of dependence on inhalers, paving the way for the music ministry that would later touch millions around the world.
Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, founder and president of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, passed away on October 6 at the age of 80. His family confirmed his death in a statement titled “Glorious Transition.”
A fiery preacher, visionary, and crusader for unity in the body of Christ, Rev. Ukpai dedicated more than five decades to preaching the gospel across nations, emphasizing faith, healing, and salvation.
His evangelistic outreaches, often marked by miracles and testimonies drew massive crowds and inspired countless believers.
Beyond the pulpit, his commitment to education and social impact birthed initiatives like the Uma Ukpai Polytechnic and scholarship foundations that continue to uplift families in Akwa Ibom State and beyond.
Since news of his passing broke, heartfelt tributes have flooded social media from believers, clergy, and celebrities alike, all describing him as a “faithful soldier of Christ” who truly finished well.
As funeral plans are being finalized, his family urged Nigerians to take comfort in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
