A Final Sermon: RCCG Pastor Dies While Speaking on Death and Hope

A funeral ceremony in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, turned tragic on Friday after a pastor collapsed and died while delivering a sermon on the certainty of death.
The cleric was identified as Deacon Steve Eyo, the Resident Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Aleto.

Eyo was preaching before more than 300 mourners when he suddenly collapsed while concluding his message, titled “The Certainty of Death and Hope Beyond.”

According to eyewitness accounts cited by multiple local news outlets, the pastor began preaching at about 1:10 p.m., speaking about the inevitability of death and urging those present to live with the awareness that nobody knows when death will come.

In illustrating his message, Eyo reportedly compared life to going to the market, explaining that some people leave early while others remain until later, just as some people die young while others live longer.

About 15 minutes into the sermon, at approximately 1:25 p.m., Eyo reportedly collapsed while rounding off his message.

His sudden fall initially confused some mourners, with eyewitnesses saying some thought the pastor was demonstrating the suddenness of death as part of his sermon.

The situation quickly became clear, however, as church ministers, choir members and others rushed to his aid.
People at the scene reportedly prayed for him, while individuals with medical knowledge attempted to administer first aid.

He was subsequently taken to a nearby medical facility in the same ambulance hired to convey the remains of the deceased person whose burial was taking place.

He was reportedly confirmed dead at the hospital, after which his remains were taken to a mortuary.

The circumstances surrounding Eyo’s death have not been publicly established, and no specific medical cause of death was disclosed in the reports.

However, the timing of the incident left mourners and members of the Aleto community deeply shocked because of the subject of his final sermon.

According to eyewitness accounts, Eyo had urged the congregation to “number your days and prepare, for it can happen anytime” shortly before he collapsed.
The incident transformed what had begun as a solemn farewell for one deceased person into another moment of mourning, as attendees were confronted with the sudden death of the minister delivering the funeral sermon.