Christians in Abia State have strongly condemned Mathias Ezeaku, founder of the group Omenala Bu Ndu Na Eziokwu, for what they described as an offensive attack on the late renowned preacher, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai.
Ezeaku, in a now-viral video, claimed that the Second Niger Bridge constructed during the administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari benefited the Igbo people more than the numerous evangelistic outreaches conducted by Rev. Uma Ukpai throughout his lifetime.
He further asserted that Buhari could be regarded as a greater hero among the Igbo if directly compared with the late cleric.
“Between Buhari and Uma Ukpai, who was a saviour to Ndigbo? I am here to tell you that if there is heaven, Buhari will go to heaven,” Ezeaku, who is Enugu-born, declared in the video.
The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Christians and supporters of the late Rev. Uma Ukpai, who described Ezeaku’s statements as a deliberate attack not only on the revered preacher but also on the Igbo people and the wider Christian community in Nigeria.
Reacting to the video, several individuals, including Benard Nwadiba, James Ukoha, Kalu Uduma, and Mrs. Nene Grace, urged Ezeaku to desist from ridiculing prominent Igbo personalities.
“What does Mathias Ezeaku intend to achieve by running a ridiculous comparison that is offensive to the Igbo people?” they questioned.
Pastor Kalu Uduma from Ohafia in Abia State challenged Ezeaku’s remarks, asking whether he was aware of the developmental projects initiated by the late Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai.
“Does he know about the Polytechnic, roads, schools and other things established by Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai while alive?” Uduma queried.
