Pastor Jerry Eze Kneels and Apologises to Worshippers Turned Away From Old Trafford Prayer Conference

Nigerian pastor and founder of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations, Jerry Eze, has apologised to worshippers who were unable to gain entry into the NSPPD UK Prayer Conference held at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.

Eze reportedly went down on his knees while addressing those affected, expressing regret over the disappointment experienced by people who had travelled from different locations to attend the prayer gathering.

The apology came after complaints emerged online from some prospective attendees who said they were turned away despite making efforts to attend the conference.

The prayer meeting took place on Saturday, September 26, at Old Trafford in Manchester and was organised by Streams of Joy International, the ministry founded by Eze.

The event was free to attend, but participants were required to register in advance because of the limited capacity of the stadium.

Interest in the conference reportedly exceeded the available spaces, with registration filling up ahead of the event. Some people who could not secure spaces subsequently took to social media in search of tickets or ways to attend the gathering.

The unusually high demand created a difficult situation for some people who travelled to Manchester hoping to participate in the event.

For some worshippers, the disappointment was particularly significant because they had reportedly travelled considerable distances and made arrangements around the conference.

Eze’s decision to personally apologise reflected the seriousness with which he viewed the complaints.

In a video shared on social media, the pastor was seen kneeling as he addressed people who had been affected by the situation.

He acknowledged the pain and disappointment experienced by those who were unable to enter and expressed regret over what had happened.

The incident has generated significant reactions online, with many people discussing the scale of the conference and the challenges involved in managing such a large gathering.

Old Trafford, one of the most recognisable football stadiums in the United Kingdom, has a capacity of more than 70,000 people and is primarily associated with Manchester United.

For the prayer conference, however, the famous sporting venue was transformed into a massive worship centre as thousands of Christians gathered for prayer, worship and fellowship.

The event brought together worshippers from across the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

It also featured several prominent Nigerian gospel ministers and singers, including Mercy Chinwo, Dunsin Oyekan, Sunmisola Agbebi and Kaestrings.

The combination of a large venue, free admission and Eze’s substantial international following contributed to the high level of interest surrounding the gathering.

The conference was promoted as a major international prayer gathering under the NSPPD platform, which has built a large audience through daily online prayer sessions and physical events.

NSPPD, which stands for New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations, has grown from an online prayer programme into a global ministry with followers across different countries.

Many participants at the Old Trafford event had followed Eze’s prayer broadcasts online before getting the opportunity to attend one of his large physical gatherings.

The scale of the Manchester conference demonstrated the extent of the platform’s international reach.

However, the turnout also presented organisers with the challenge of managing a very large number of people within a venue with a fixed capacity.

The situation involving people who were turned away has consequently become one of the major talking points surrounding the event.

Some attendees expressed frustration online, particularly those who said they had travelled specifically for the conference.

Others focused on the fact that the event was free and had limited spaces, noting that registration requirements had been communicated before the gathering.

The disagreement has largely centred on expectations, access and the practical difficulties of accommodating a huge number of people at a high-profile venue.

Eze’s public apology has helped shift some of the attention towards reconciliation with those who felt disappointed.

Rather than ignoring the complaints, the pastor addressed the affected worshippers directly and used the moment to express regret.

His gesture has also generated reactions from supporters, many of whom praised him for acknowledging the concerns of attendees.

The incident highlights the logistical challenges that can accompany large religious gatherings, particularly when attendance is significantly higher than the available capacity.

Organisers of major events must consider issues including registration, security, crowd control, emergency access and entry procedures.

Even when an event is free, the number of people who can safely be accommodated inside a venue remains limited.

The Old Trafford conference demonstrates how quickly demand can grow when a popular religious platform announces a major international gathering.

The venue itself added to the attention surrounding the event.

Old Trafford is internationally recognised as the home of Manchester United and has hosted major football matches and other large-scale events for decades.

On September 26, however, the stadium became a place of Christian worship as thousands of attendees gathered for hours of prayer and music.

The conference ran from midday into the evening, with check-in beginning earlier in the day.

Participants were encouraged to register beforehand because spaces were limited, and the official event listing later showed the conference as sold out.

The gathering formed part of the continued international expansion of Eze’s ministry.

The pastor has built a significant following through NSPPD’s regular prayer broadcasts, which attract viewers from Nigeria and other parts of the world.

The movement’s message has also become widely recognised through its recurring declaration, “What God Cannot Do Does Not Exist.”

The phrase has become closely associated with Eze’s prayer ministry and is regularly used by participants during NSPPD programmes.

The Old Trafford conference brought that online community into a physical environment on a much larger scale.

For many worshippers, the opportunity to pray collectively in such a large venue was a significant part of the attraction.

The presence of popular gospel music ministers also made the programme a major Christian gathering beyond a conventional prayer meeting.

As photographs and videos from the event spread online, images of thousands of worshippers inside Old Trafford attracted attention in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and among international followers of the ministry.

The controversy over those turned away has therefore emerged alongside widespread discussion about the successful turnout.

While many attendees were able to participate in the programme, others experienced the opposite after being unable to gain access.

Eze’s apology now forms part of the aftermath of the event, with the pastor acknowledging the disappointment and seeking to reassure those affected.

The episode also provides an important lesson for organisers of increasingly popular international religious conferences.

As ministries grow, events that were once relatively small can quickly attract audiences larger than the organisers initially anticipated.

Managing such growth requires detailed planning and clear communication so that expectations match the number of spaces available.

For attendees, the experience also demonstrates the importance of early registration for events with fixed capacity.

For Eze and Streams of Joy International, the Old Trafford conference remains a major gathering for the NSPPD movement, but the experience of those who could not enter has added another dimension to the story.

The pastor’s decision to kneel and apologise has brought attention to the human side of the event, particularly for worshippers who travelled expecting to participate but were left disappointed.

The apology has also opened a conversation about responsibility when large religious events attract more interest than the venue can accommodate.

As NSPPD continues to expand its international activities, the experience at Old Trafford could provide valuable lessons for future conferences and large-scale gatherings.

For the worshippers who attended, the conference was an opportunity for prayer, worship and fellowship. For those who were unable to enter, however, the experience was marked by frustration and disappointment.

Eze’s public apology has now become one of the defining moments of the aftermath, as the pastor sought to acknowledge those feelings and make amends.

The Old Trafford gathering ultimately demonstrated both the enormous reach of the NSPPD movement and the logistical challenges that come with organising a free event capable of attracting thousands of people from different parts of the world.