An old video of Nigerian preacher Rev. Uma Ukpai has exploded on social media again, and for good reason, it’s the kind of story that makes you pause and wonder if you’d make the same choice.
In the clip, shared by @theechoesfromzion on Instagram, the respected cleric tells a jaw-dropping story about a billionaire who wanted to donate ₦13 billion to his ministry. Yes, you read that right, ₦13 billion.
The wealthy man claimed God had made him Nigeria’s seventh-richest person and instructed him to give that staggering amount to Ukpai’s work. But the preacher wasn’t buying it.
“He called me and said, ‘God has made me the 7th richest man in Nigeria and asked me to give you money.’
I asked, ‘How much?’ He said ₦13 billion. I told him to stop, God didn’t say that. God asked you to give me only ₦1 billion and keep ₦12 billion,” Ukpai recalled.
Now, turning down ₦13 billion is hard enough. But try explaining that decision to your wife.
According to Rev. Ukpai, when he told her what happened, she was furious. She reminded him of all the problems that kind of money could solve, the ministries it could fund, the lives it could change, the buildings it could construct.
But the preacher stood his ground.
“It’s not about how many problems ₦13 billion can solve,” he explained. “It’s about the will of God. How much did God want me to collect, not how much I want to spend.”
With a touch of humor, Rev. Ukpai mentioned his wife even questioned whether he “came into the world with his head”, essentially asking if he’d lost his mind.
His response? “Whether I came with my head or hers, praise God. It’s something only I could do.”
Many are praising the reverend’s conviction, while others admit they probably wouldn’t have the strength to turn down that much money.
