Evangelist Helen Ukpabio Denounces "Happy Birthday" as a "D-evil's Language"

Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, founder of Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries in Calabar, Nigeria, has strongly criticized the phrase "happy birthday," calling it a "devil's language" and urging Christians to avoid using it. 

During a sermon, she explained that she does not celebrate birthdays in the conventional way, instead referring to her milestone as "thanking God at 60."

Ukpabio argued that birthday pleasantries are rooted in modern-day idolatry and that Christians should be cautious about adopting such expressions. She emphasized that she does not observe birthdays annually, stating, "I am not somebody that does birthday every year like a zombie." She further warned that using such language could be spiritually harmful, saying, "You won’t see birthday there. You will only see ‘thanking God at 60.’ You see people saying happy birthday! Happy birthday!! Who is giving you happy and birthday? Those are pleasantries that people exchange in this modern-day idolatry."

Her remarks have sparked discussions online, with some agreeing with her stance while others criticize it as extreme.