Bishop Dr. Priscilla Otuya, the first elected and current president of United Gospel Churches Association of Nigeria (UCCAN), after the late founding president, Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran, opens up on several issues about the presumed first organized Christian body in Nigeria, which she reveals was birthed in response to Nigeria’s military government oppressions preceding the subsequent establishment of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). In this interview with Christian Benefits on UGCAN’s repositioning efforts, Otuya addresses a number of challenges that have bedeviled the frontline Christian body, including the leadership succession issues after the demise of its founding president, Archbishop Oyeniran, and the forthcoming UCCAN repositioning conference scheduled for January 30, 2026, in Lagos, featuring among other matters for deliberation the on going scandals making rounds, and how they affect the Church and possibly proffer solutions. Excerpts below.

Please, how would you like us to introduce you?

I am Dr. Priscilla Otuya,  I was consecrated into the office of a Bishop 12 years ago, so yes, I am Bishop, but I like to be introduced as The Regent Queen and first minister of the House of Regents, I am Royalty by Marriage and by my assignment and mandate as a Royalpriest and Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Living God. 

Please, provide us with a brief overview of your upbringing and background, including your salvation encounter.

I am from a family of eight siblings and I am the third, born in Ibadan, Oyo state, and grew up in Ikoyi, Lagos, even though my parents were originally from Delta state, got married at a very early age as God would have it and lived a very sheltered life as a child. My very first experience with the supernatural happened when I was 9 years old, at Number 1 Cooper Road Ikoyi, Lagos. I was outside hopping on the stepping stone and there I was looking up at Lucifer,  and what came out of my.mouth was, If you had hope, I would have served you, but you don’t have hope. The second time was with Christ himself, he took me on a tour of a three storey building and said, some of the rooms are okay, but some are not, he likened the House to his body and said, my servants are focusing on what they see as more charismatic, neglecting other parts of the Body, they are praying and waiting for my return, but I will not return to a broken, mutilated body, every single part must be in place for my return, Go and look for the missing parts and restore them, depending on my word. That was my first ever encounter with the Lord one on one but I didn’t jump into carrying out his instructions immediately, until I attended an event organised by Rev Tunde Joda, at Pen Cinema,   I was working at St Bernard’s Hospital Orile then, and a Nurse and the Doctor who were both Members of Christ Chapel did something unthinkable,  they shut down the Hospital that day to have me follow them to the event, and that was my point of no return. As I sat in the congregation, this American preacher picked the microphone to preach, but God won’t let him. He tried again and again God won’t let him go ahead. He kept saying there IS someone here and the Lord is saying to come out because he had an appointment with you today but I refused to stand up even though I had the conviction to. Then the man of God made another attempt to start preaching but he said God won’t let him, and suddenly I felt these hands put me up and out of my seat and I found myself crying like a little child. They tried to make me to speak but I couldn’t. I just kept crying and that was how I decided to follow Christ. I am grateful for the fact that it has been a one-on-one relationship with him ever since, waking me up with his counsel I couldn’t continue with Christ Chapel because of distance and.my husband,  so I joined New Life Evangelical Mission under Bishop TC Michael after which by the leading of the Lord I started my work with him.

Since when have you been walking with the Lord, and how long have you been in ministry as a preacher of the gospel?

I am approaching 39 years now in my walk with the Lord and I started ministry almost Immediately 

You are the current President of United Gospel Churches Association of Nigeria (UGCAN). What is the vision of its founder, the late Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran regarding the association?

Aside creating a platform for unity amongst Christians, churches and church Leaders, UGCAN was founded when state and military governments in Nigeria introduced edicts restricting public preaching and religious gatherings, Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran – a key figure in UGCAN’s leadership – publicly opposed such bans. In particular, when some Nigerian states (notably Kaduna State) enacted bans on public preaching, licensing of preachers, and limitations on religious expressions – measures introduced under military governments as responses to violence and religious tension – Archbishop Oyeniran decried the restrictions as unconstitutional and spiritually harmful. He was a peace maker, and lover of God, and his role in protecting the rights of ministers,irrespective of their tribe or denominational affiliation made the core of his vision for UGCAN. 

How true is it that UGCAN preceded the founding of both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)? Why are these two bodies more popular than UGCAN today?

I was privileged to see a copy of PFN CAC certificate some years ago  and the name of Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin is boldly written there, and I am making reference to this, because when I first heard it myself,  I took it with a pinch of salt,  and that is because I wasn’t there when they founded these Associations, and the way I am wired, I don’t put my nose where it doesn’t belong, and it wasn’t something that was openly discussed until the passing of the founding president. As required of my office and election as first female president,  I had to do some findings on the matter and I found out UGCAN indeed preceeded these Associations, especially PFN, but was part of the foundation through Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran. Concerning why they (CAN and PFN) are more popular,  following his vision for oneness, the late Arcbishop Oyeniran took on the role of establishing PFN in various parts of the nation and barely attended to UGCAN as he should and used to, because of his engagement with PFN, until in an encounter with the Lord to return to the original vision and assignment with UGCAN, which he adhered to, but by then, PFN was already standing and known as the body representing the Pentecostals in Nigeria, and everyone had shifted focus to PFN

As one of his close associates until he passed, tell us about the life, times, and legacies of the late UGCAN Founder/Life President, Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran of blessed memory.

I wouldn’t consider myself close to the late Archbishop. My calling and availability to serve made it seems like we were close, but we were not, and that is because of my training and upbringing. My calling is to serve as a servant of servants, and provide help genuinely where and when needed with no strings attached and that was exactly what I did in UGCAN and what I still do anywhere I am led to. I use to have this very demonic temper and was so intolerant to certain things and that kept me from mingling freely beyond n6 assignment,  until I started serving in UGCAN under the Archbishop’s leadership, and what really endeared him to me was the way he carried himself with so much self respect and patience, always calm in the  midst of opposition..Archbishop will hear things about him, knows some people are out against him and he will still dine with them. It was strange to me, but God planted me there knowing I needed that training and it has really helped me, I never ever saw him loose his cool. Concerning his legacies,  he really laboured for the rights of preachers, and in his own way, he was big on civic participation and engagement of the church and staved to support those that God brought his way and these and more are what we plan to consolidate  on

What are some of his legacies as a respected gospel preacher and frontline religious and political leader in Nigeria? What are UGCAN’s efforts at sustaining and building on those legacies after his demise?

I have touched on some of that in my previous response,  but I want to use this opportunity to touch on something supposed custodians of faith should consider,  the rivalry,  spiritual apathy greed for power and control,  I say this based on my experience and prevalent situations in our Ministers Associations, and what I mean is that, it is like there is a line up waiting for the president to leave office,  then the new person trashes previous efforts and start all over again. I remember begging my husband to rewrite our tickets a week earlier to enable us return to Nigeria to host the first memorial lecture for him, which I single handedly funded. I was so shocked that non of the Ministers this Man supported and promoted in UGCAN remembered him, intact he was abandoned while he was sick, thank God for his family. Mentioning all this because of your question on his legacies   and I don’t want to give you an official response, perhaps we can all learn from it, and do better. I am the second president after the Archbishop and the normal thing for Associations to do is to have records of initiatives for continuity,  but  so sad to say that this is not the case, However,  we will not only revive the annual lecture in his name and honour. We will also set up an initiative to train Ministers on Civic Engagement to keep his legacy on

On the first anniversary of his passing, you founded/organized The Abraham Oyeniran Memorial Annual Lecture at the Commerce House, Victoria Island, Lagos. Tell us the idea behind this memorial lecture and why it has been suspended.

It is sad that our ” branch of Christianity” do not understand the fact that there are other arms of ministry that are equally as important as pulpit preaching, and this is where the likes of us come in, My name sake in the Bible and her husband supported Ministers and their works, Deacons were appointed to serve tables etc, and this is one of my core calling,  my husband and I use to use our company tithes to but food we distributed amongst pastors,  we helped people pay Hospital Bills,  Paid rents etc, even when I was just a member of UGCAN. The way I am wired, I see a genuine need and I plug in as led by the Spirit and that’s it, I actually started the lecture years before he died and the first one was at the Excellence Hotel, Ikeja 2006, then it was aimed at highlighting his works  and that is because he had so many people around him but he lacked committed representation, so my team and I at Mothers of the Nations took up the challenge to honour him with the lecture,  it was turned into a Memorial lecture when he passed. I stopped it because of the misunderstandings, and talks  that went on then, and I have zero tolerance for certain behaviours, especially when I am doing as led and out of pocket with no strings attached 

Tell us about UGCAN’s leadership succession from its founder Archbishop Abraham Oyeniran to his successor, the now also late Bishop Jacob Okose, down to Rev. Olu Johnson, and currently you as President of the global association.

Point of correction, Rev. Olu Johnson was never the president of United Gospel Churches Association of Nigeria, please do your findings. He was grafted to lead the faction that broke out of the  Association and it was built on what Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran started as the global arm of UGCAN known as the United Gospel Churches Association of Nations, not Nigeria.  So, there are two different things. I am the first elected president after the Archbishop. Bishop Okose was appointed as president when the leaders of UGCAN then wanted to put an end to The Archbishop’s life presidency, and they had to bring in Bishop Okose to take over from that point, and the only election that took place was the one that saw me emerge as the first female president of the Association. I was national treasurer when Rev. Olu Johnson was invited to UGCAN because of his involvement in some crusade or so , and was made vice president. I really supported him and routed for him because he was a young and dynamic minister, but at some points, he pitched tent with those that opposed Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran, and they all made leadership of UGCAN very difficult for Bishop Okose, and I as a person, I am a die hard loyalist and I strongly believe in ” law and order” and you will never catch me working or speaking against anyone on authority, that is where our working relationship went sour, So, the election came and I won square and fair in the presence of the leaders and even some law enforcement agencies were present to observe and maintain order, but the other faction (the Anti-Abraham Oyeniran faction) swore they will never have a woman, lead; much more an igbo woman as they use to call me.lead them. So, they opted out of UGCAN and ran with what the Archbishop started as the International arm of the United Gospel Churches Association of Nigeria,  and all the instruments of office is in my possession, including the certificate of registration. This, in my opinion is sad, because we are supposed to be the representatives of Christ   and as it is written,  in Christ,  no jew, no gentiles,  no male or female,  but it is like we pay lip service to the Christ we claim to serve, while actively attach Government for everything and anything.

Since when have you been UGCAN President, and what are some of your achievements as its leader over the years?

I was elected about 12 years ago  and due to the break away, I wanted to back out at a point because aside UGCAN,  I had my own Ministers Group I had to halt because of my involvement in UGCAN. Truth is that I did put UGCAN aside because, believe it or not, the spirit has used the image of the Archbishop to speak to me on three different occasions asking me to wait till an appointed time when I will be instructed to revive UGCAN  and I did mention it to.my team, until finally the instruction came finally in 2024, and called my team in UGCAN to inform them of what I saw, and we met and put up a date to hold the first main meeting. Months later after we fixed the meeting,  my husband passed  and nobody knew,  I didn’t tell the team of his passing because I don’t want their spirit to be dampened,  we went on to host the meeting that Turned out to be very successful and that was when I broke the news to the shock of everyone. As per our achievements, I can recall vividly how the Lord showed me years ago during Bishop Okose’s tenure, that he was going to reduce UGCAN leadership to a 5-man team. I shared the vision even though I didn’t quite understand it then, but I have come to realise that the Lord is taking us back to his original leadership structure for the body of Christ, where he was at the helm of affairs and his people were led by his spirit,  I also recall the spirit say that what he wants to do with the Church in Nigeria,  the existing leadership structures of all existing Ministers Associations cannot carry it, so what we are focused on doing now is to restructure and reorientation,so that we can build with God in setting up an umbrella body that will truly cater for the servants of God in Nigeria. One of the initiatives we have now is the Nigerian Pastors Project for Nigerian Pastors at Home and in the Diaspora and key amongst the aims is to make room for unconventional ministers, promote Ministerial ethics etc. We have a lot outlined we won’t want to let out of the bag yet. it’s better we all see and celebrate than anticipate (smiles) but you can take to the bank the fact that it is not going to be business as usual. 

At some points, there were some issues between you and some founding fathers of the association over its leadership after the demise of Archbishop Oyeniran. Have those issues been resolved, and how were they resolved?

I don’t have any issues with anyone because they all related well with me, let me say on the surface. I would rather say the issues were between the Archbishop and them, and it was passed on to all the Pro-Oyeniran faction. Go ahead,  and put on an advert asking anyone I have ever offended to come forward with proof or report of what I did wrong aside the inherited leadership issues,  I bet you will wait forever because you won’t find any, and that is because I was trained to love and respect people; even my juniors, enemies etc. But one thing I know and hold, is that no one can sway or bully me when I know I am on my right with the Lord and there are certain boundaries I don’t let people cross with me, no  matter who you are.

Under your leadership, on January 30, 2026, UGCAN is set for a repositioning conference. What informed this move, and what are the expectations from the conference?

I say this with all sense of humility and deepest respect to the body of Christ, but truth is that Satan is really having a field day due to ignorance of his devises, let me also state first that we have inherited a whole lot that is foreign to the original Gospel of the Kingdom,  and Satan has crashed in on that to play, for example, 1 Corinthians 14:29 provides instructions for maintaining order and discernment during Christian worship services, specifically regarding the exercise of prophecy… “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.”that way we can discern the mind of God, and maintain order,  but what have we now? That has been collapsed and anybody can say Gkd said,  use it to commit atttiocities in God’s name and walk free. Sanity in the body of Christ amongst Ministers and discipline first,  that is our main Goal, I remember when I was newly elected I announced it to the hearing of all present,  you cannot be a leader in UGCAN if you won’t maintain the law, no room for executive lawlessness, period and I guess that was why many of them left. We all have our vision and values,  mine is to go by the books, no more, no less, and one key thing that informed the decision to host the conference is the fact that proper discipleship as laid down by Christ has been laid aside by the church and replaced with degrees and diplomas, yet we ask how we got here. Truth be told, some grew up in church environments as band boys etc and took on the role of preacher because they don’t know any other way, so the right thing is reorientation and because we can’t build the new UGCAN with on a faulty foundation 

What are some of the matters that will be discussed at the conference relating to the vision, aims, and objectives of United Gospel Churches Association of Nigeria (UGCAN)?

Top on the list is the on going scandals making rounds and how they affect the Church and possibly proffer solutions. There are so many factors that leads to such scandals that the church is not talking about and there are those that God has gifted with certain knowledge and expertise the church needs to ” employ” Another thing is women relegation and intra-religious persecution of women, Youth empowerment and need to make room for Faith-Based Initiatives for Socio-Economic Development 

As the current UGCAN President, what efforts will you be making after the conference to reunite thousands of UGCAN members still connected with the association?

If I must be honest with you,  we are going to leave that entirely to God, even though our doors are wide open and our hearts filled with love and forgiveness  and everyone I’d welcome. I learnt something from the Lord that I seriously operate in,  the third side of the coin and the need to locate your tribe. We all say the coin has two sides, the head and the tail,  but there is the ring side that determines where the coin fall to, and that is what I call the third side. That is where I operate from. So, everyone that operates therein will come, because it is important we operate in agreement, without which we cannot achieve our goals. 

What does UGCAN aim to do differently after the conference to regain its glory and frontline position in the body of Christ, both in Nigeria and globally?

We are simply going to work with the founder and head of the body of Christ as against human wisdom and.permutations and he knows how to bring Glory to himself. But one thing you can be assured of,  is that Nigeria will most definitely see the difference between when a woman is in the helm of affairs 

Finally, UGCAN during the time of its late founder, Archbishop Abraham Oyelakin Oyeniran, wielded a very powerful influence in Nigeria’s politics, especially in Lagos State. What is the place of UGCAN in Nigeria’s politics today?

As a serial social and civic entrepreneur, I will use my expertise and knowledge to position UGCAN in a place of positive pride as we will seek to work with Government and Non Governmental agencies in our bid to raise pastors who are well informed on their rights and responsibilities first as Nigerians. What many see as politically involved in the Christendom is going cap in hand to the governmental agencies and that is exactly my fall out point with the old brigade, because I made it abundantly clear that we will not be involved in such, rather we would support the governmental agencies by proffering workable solutions and in nation building by promoting faith-based social business 

Thank you for your attention.

You are welcome