Pastor Udofia in CAC History

Pastor (Dr) Nelson Ekuh Udofia was an icon of faith and a rare breed among elderly pastors of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria (CAC). He started out quite young, when in 1950, in response to the persistent invitation of his friend and former colleague (now late), Pastor Egabor, he set out on a journey from the Eastern part of Nigeria to the West. He later joined himself to Prophet Babajide (the right-hand man of the late Apostle Ayo Babalola) under whom he served as a disciple for a period of about eight years. While there, he performed Secretarial duties, like writing and replying Prophet Babajide’s correspondences.  He also handled the music department, for example, composing tonic solfas.  

Pastor Udofia’s strength of character – integrity, forthrightness, absolute loyalty and unfeigned humility – immediately endeared him to his superiors. Prophet Babajide loved him and entrusted important responsibilities into his hands.  His qualities quickly became noticed by Apostle Babalola who sent for him, so as to send him to assist Mrs Pearce, who was Principal of the CAC Bible Training College then. There, Baba Udofia once again dispatched his duties commendably.

He was ordained pastor in 1963, at the age of 35 years. Although he was young at the beginning of his sojourn as a pastor in CAC, the leaders of the church then found in him a loyal, dependable and thoroughly trustworthy disciple. They therefore felt very comfortable to put him in charge of important assignments and in positions of great responsibilities. He was member or secretary to various committees, and leader of delegations sent to settle occasional disagreements in some assemblies and districts. He was also their choice representative on the boards of interdenominational organizations, like the Pentecostal Federation of Nigeria (PFN).  

After his stint as lecturer at the CAC Bible Training College, he was posted again to the secretariat of the church, to work as personal assistant to the late Pastor A.A. Hanson (who was then General Secretary of the Church).  Because of his diligence, faithfulness as well as industry, when Pastor Hanson died in 1968, the leaders had no problem appointing Pastor Udofia to succeed Pastor Hanson, first as Acting General Secretary and very shortly after as substantive General Secretary of CAC. He was later also appointed a Trustee of the Church. He was General Secretary of the Church for a period of thirty-three years until he became president in 2001, after the passing away of the president then, Pastor Adegoroye.

Pastor Udofia literally defined what the Secretariat of the Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria is today. In all, he served first as personal assistant to the General Secretary under the administration of Pastor (Oba) I.B. Akinyele and as substantive General Secretary under three other presidents – Pastors Latunde, Orogun and Adegoroye – before he himself became president in 2001.  

While he was General Secretary, he conducted the affairs of the Church’s Secretariat with diligence and openness, in the tradition of the early leaders of the Church. He passed away to glory in the morning of Sunday, 14th December 2008, at the age of 81 years. His passing away marks the end of a life of service in CAC spanning a period of almost six decades.  

He has since been buried amidst great pomp and pageantry in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, on 7th February 2009. He is survived by children and grand-children.