2 Nigerian Pastors Who Lost Their Children

Shedding a baby is likely one of the deepest pains a guardian can expertise, it’s a tragedy that leaves a everlasting mark on the soul.

For 2 of Nigeria’s most revered pastors, Enoch Adeboye and Uma Ukpai, this tragedy was not only a private loss but in addition a take a look at of their religion, energy, and resilience. This grief ignored their titles, standing, affect, and non secular calling.

These deaths weren’t simply household moments hidden behind closed doorways; they had been public. It additionally shook the religion of their followers, who puzzled why God would permit his servants to undergo such an ordeal.

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However their experiences will not be remoted. Some pastors have lost their wives to death as properly, and even within the Bible, a few of God’s most trustworthy servants had been examined via unimaginable loss. Job, described as innocent and upright, misplaced all his youngsters in a single day, but nonetheless declared, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the title of the Lord.”

King David additionally mourned the dying of his toddler son, weeping and fasting, earlier than rising once more to worship the identical God who allowed the kid’s passing. In a lot the identical method, these Nigerian pastors weathered their storms and years later, they proceed to evangelise, pray, and serve the very God who “permitted” their tragedies.

Nigerian Pastors Who Misplaced Their Kids

Pastor Enoch Adeboye

In Could 2021, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), misplaced his third youngster, Pastor Dare Adeboye. Dare, aged 42, handed away in his sleep whereas serving as a pastor in Eket, Akwa Ibom State. The information despatched shockwaves throughout Nigeria and the Christian neighborhood.

Dare had carried out a church programme on Tuesday when he got here again house and didn’t get up from sleep. Pastor Dare Adeboye, popularly often known as ‘Pastor D,’ was thought to be one of the influential youth pastors within the RCCG.

A few of his earlier roles in RCCG included a senior pastor at RCCG Home of Reward in Birmingham, England, and provincial pastor at RCCG Kaduna 1. His final place was the church’s north central youth evangelist overseeing Niger, Benue, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, and FCT.

In April 2022, on the Holy Ghost Service, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who owns one of many richest church buildings in Nigeria, shared how he got over his deep sorrow caused by the death of his son, Dare. He stated:

After I misplaced my son final 12 months (2021), then I used to be deeply in sorrow, I acquired a textual content (message) from one among my (non secular) daughters that immediately turned the tide. What she wrote was merely this: Daddy, let God carry you.

Adeboye disclosed that some folks laughed at him when he was within the saddest interval of his life. He described the lack of his son because the darkest second of his life since changing into a Christian. In 2025, nonetheless reflecting on his profound loss, Adeboye explained that it was in this dark moment that he found solace in the steadfast faith of Rev. Uma Ukpai, who had additionally endured private tragedies however continued to serve God unwaveringly.

Adeboye stated that regardless of his personal grief, Ukpai’s instance impressed him to maintain transferring ahead in religion. He stated:

I needed to preach on Friday, and one reference level that gave me energy was Uma Ukpai. I do know he misplaced a couple of youngster in a day, but he didn’t waver. He stored on serving God. He gave me energy at a time after I wanted it most.

Dare is survived by his spouse, Temiloluwa, and three youngsters

Rev. Uma Ukpai

Reverend Uma Ukpai, a famend evangelist and president of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Ministries, misplaced two of his youngsters in a tragic automotive accident in 1985. What made the occasion much more heartbreaking was that it occurred shortly after God had revealed to him that such a trial would come, and that He wouldn’t intervene.

In a 2009 interview with Vanguard, Uma Ukpai stated he was fasting for seven days when a person noticed him, stopped him and stated, “You’re going to be a preacher, you will have eight youngsters, however two will die in a motor accident.”

Two months earlier than he misplaced his youngsters, he stated God had spoken to him and instructed him, “Uma I gained’t reply your prayers. I wish to take a look at you and know the way you like me.” On their approach to a campaign of their village, the motive force carrying his youngsters and a cousin, drove right into a river.

I tried to carry the youngsters out, not understanding that my spouse additionally jumped into the river behind me, and the water carried her, threw her up six occasions. It was the seventh time that any individual referred to as my consideration to her. I used one hand to swim and the opposite to carry her, and introduced her to shore. I rescued the youngsters later. That they had died as a result of a baby can keep underwater just for two minutes. I put them in a automotive to hope for them, however an oncoming automotive from the wrong way drove into the automotive and smashed it. The bumper flew out, and the bonnet flew out. I finished and I used to be pacing up and down, not understanding what to do subsequent.

Just like the story of Job, whereas he was nonetheless processing the accident, any individual ran to him to inform him that the 50-seater bus carrying his band had caught fireplace. He was undecided how many individuals died within the accident. He stated:

I used to be composed as a result of God had warned me. I did not make these youngsters. God gave them to me. All that I had, now have and can ever have is given by God. And His will is supreme.

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He additional added that he nonetheless proceeded to the campaign venue to evangelise. In accordance with him, his ideas, decision and energy in that second had been:

If God, through the years, protected us and determined to decrease the hedge someday, why ought to I protest? So, I marched on!

His unwavering religion within the midst of that tragedy turned a supply of inspiration for a lot of, together with Pastor Adeboye, who credit Ukpai’s instance as one of many causes he discovered the energy to hold on after his loss.

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For each Pastor Adeboye and Rev. Ukpai, the lack of their youngsters is a reminder that even non secular giants will not be exempt from life’s deepest sorrows. However via their ache, they’ve continued to guide, encourage, and preach a gospel that gives consolation to numerous others in grief.

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