Renowned evangelist, Dr Uma Ukpai, sat down with naijachurchnews.com last week at his ministry’s headquarters in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, to talk about intimate details of his life and ministry. Excerpts

What else is driving you at over 70?

I believe knowledge is infinite. I am still building. No man is a great man without being a merchant of knowledge. You just have to keep learning until you drop dead. When a man stops learning, he decays down from his neck.

I have a library worth N35million. I have a library that has a book on every life’s endeavours. I have books on every doctrine of the bible. I discipline myself to read at least six hours a day.

If you were to be in the public service, you would have retired…

… Why because of age?

Yes.

Well, age is nothing but just a figure. My mother is 98 but she doesn’t plan to die yet. She still wants me to buy her Jeeps. When I asked to know what an old woman will do with jeeps, she broke down and said I should convince her that old age was a sin. The only time a man becomes old is when he has no dreams to dream.

Why don’t you have a church base?

That is not what God asked me to do. He told me to be a bridge among churches.

So, how have you survived 42 years without regular tithes and offering?

I serve an awesome God who is very rich. My mother saw me driving a new car and she said she didn’t know preachers can have money to buy new cars. Her business had just collapsed and she asked me to give her money to revive it.

I said I didn’t have money but will tell God that night and the money will be available the next morning. She said I had gone mental. I said someone called me and will pay the bills.

The next morning, my secretary went to the office and saw a big parcel of money with the inscription: For Uma’s use. She started crying the money was not there when she closed the night before.

What message do you have for those who don’t have Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR)?

I don’t have any message for them. Everybody runs according to the light he has received. If they don’t have that inclination, God will find someone else to get it done.

Does everyone get healed in your crusades?

My prayers cannot heal everybody.

Is it because you don’t have enough faith or anointing?

Only Jesus had the anointing that makes the bible says he healed them all. But even as we speak, I must be one of the most anointed men of God around without blowing my trumpet.

Are you planning to write your biography?

Yes I do but not until I am done with my colleges. I plan to write one and make a statement to the world that God can make all things possible for you. There is nothing he cannot do with or without tithes and offering. I think a preacher should not be on salaries but the blessings he has poured out so come back to him.

Do you fall sick sometimes?

I had been fatigued once if that is what you want to call sickness. My doctor said I was about to die but I said people like me don’t die like ordinary men. He said if I knew what he saw, I would agree but I said ‘I don’t care what you saw.’

They flew me to London against my wish. When we go there, six professors attended to me. They saw nothing but said I just didn’t know how to rest. They asked me to return back the bed they gave me.

But they didn’t give me back the money I paid for the bed. It is six years after and I am still here.

Source: http://naijachurchnews.com/uma-ukpai-my-98-year-old-mother-wants-me-to-buy-her-jeeps/