Tragedy as RCCG pastor collapses, dies during sermon at funeral in Rivers

A funeral service held in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, became tragic on Friday when a pastor experienced a sudden collapse and passed away while delivering a sermon addressing the inevitability of death.

The deceased cleric was identified as Deacon Steve Eyo, who served as the Resident Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) located in Aleto.

Eyo was addressing an audience exceeding 300 mourners when he abruptly collapsed during the conclusion of his message.

The pastor's sermon bore the title "The Certainty of Death and Hope Beyond." According to witness testimonies reported by numerous local news sources, he commenced his sermon at approximately 1:10 p.m., discussing the inescapable nature of death and encouraging attendees to conduct their lives with recognition that the timing of one's death remains unknown to all.

To reinforce his message, the pastor drew a comparison between life and a marketplace visit, noting that certain individuals depart early while others remain longer, paralleling how some individuals experience early death while others achieve longer lifespans.

Approximately 15 minutes into the sermon, around 1:25 p.m., Eyo experienced a collapse as he was concluding his remarks.

His unexpected fall initially created confusion among certain mourners, with witnesses reporting that some individuals believed the pastor was physically demonstrating the abruptness of death as an element of his sermon. The true nature of the situation became apparent, however, as church officials, choir members, and others moved quickly to provide assistance.

Individuals present at the location reportedly engaged in prayer on his behalf while those possessing medical expertise attempted to provide emergency medical care. He was subsequently transported to a neighboring medical facility using the same ambulance that had been arranged to transport the remains of the individual whose funeral service was occurring.

He was reportedly declared deceased upon arrival at the hospital, after which his remains were transferred to a mortuary facility.

The specific circumstances of Eyo's death have not been made public based on available reports, and no particular medical cause of death has been disclosed.

However, the timing of the incident has 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.