Pastor Jerry Eze has tendered a heartfelt apology to the thousands of worshippers who were unable to enter the NSPPD UK Prayer Conference held at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
The cleric, who leads Streams of Joy International and the daily NSPPD prayer sessions, made the apology during the early morning NSPPD prayer session, where he addressed the disappointment experienced by those who could not gain access to the venue despite travelling from different parts of the world.
Speaking during the session, Eze said: “I want to sincerely, from the depth of my heart, apologize. Apologize to the tens of thousands of people who were turned back. Some people traveled very far, from Australia, from North Macedonia, from Sweden, from different parts of the world, to come. I felt so sorry. I cannot even tell you how—how bad I felt when I heard that there were still tens of thousands who were asked to go back.”
He explained that the situation was beyond his control and that of his ministry. “Of course, you know me. It was beyond my control. If it was something I could influence, and you know it wasn’t something that Streams of Joy people could influence, it was the stadium people that did what they had to do.”
Eze then offered a direct plea for forgiveness. “But people of God, I want to say: I’m sorry. It will not happen again. I see your pain as you post about it on social media and you talk about it wherever you go to. I want to say: I’m sorry. Please, forgive us. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
The NSPPD UK Prayer Conference drew a massive crowd to Manchester United’s 74,000-capacity stadium, which was converted into a prayer and worship venue for the event. The conference was organised by Streams of Joy International and brought together worshippers from across the United Kingdom and beyond for prayers, worship and fellowship.
Admission to the event was free, but attendees were required to register in advance because of limited spaces. The high demand for the conference saw all available spaces filled, and in the days leading up to the event, some social media users took to TikTok to search for spare tickets. Many were reportedly willing to pay any amount to secure entry.
The gathering featured several gospel ministers, including Sunmisola Agbebi, Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan and Kaestrings. Photos and videos of the large crowd inside the stadium circulated widely on social media.
The apology from Eze comes amid an outpouring of reactions from those who were turned back despite travelling long distances to attend the conference. The cleric’s decision to address the issue directly during the early morning prayer session was seen by many of his followers as an act of humility and accountability.
