John Okwuwa was born on the 8th of March 1953 into the family of Awka Uzochukwu. He hails from Uzochukwu famly, Umudarike Community, Ubahuekwem village, Ihiala Local Government Area in Anambra State.
He was the fourth child and was the only son of his mother. He lost his dad at a tender age of eight and had to take care of his mum and other sisters. He had to train his sister s through the money he got from fishing, rubber tapping and meagre jobs. He attended St. Jude Primary School at Ubahuekwem village, Ihiala. Before the age of twenty, he had built his first house in his hometown.

He came into encounter with Jesus Christ in the year 1977 when he heard a voice audibly calling his name and asking him to go and get a bible. The voice directed him to read Isaiah chapter 6 within that period, he was instructed and taught by the voice.

In the same year joined Deeper Life Bible Church where he played a vital role in the Evangelism and choir ministry. He was part of the team that started Deeper Life in Edo State. He helped establishing several branches of the church in Edo and Delta States. He helped pioneering Deeper Life in Edo State in the late 70s and 80s. He went to the villages to share the word of God and trained choristers in some of the village churches within the period. He was a pacesetter and visioner such that some persons had to travel to his hometown to tell his mum that John had gone made, left his business and followed Church.

He got married to His Dearly beloved wife Mrs Helen Azuka on the 30th July 1983. He had three boys and two girls namely John Chukwunonso (Jnr), Philemon Chinweike, Ifeoma Jemmy, Caleb Olisaemeka, and Faithful Uchechukwu.

In 1986, he started the first Nigerian Christian Book Publishing Ministry called ‘Maranatha Publications’ which was the first Nigerian Publishing Company to have reprint rights in Nigeria and West Africa. Within the period of 1986 and 2002, Maranatha Publications had reprint rights to over 100 Christian literatures. He also founded the Maranatha Tracts and Evangelistic Ministry in the year 1989 which aimed at reaching out to the lost and hopeless both in the towns and villages. He also founded the Maranatha Christian Bookshop.
In 1993, out of his love of God and his word, joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM). He did Discipleship Training School (DTS) in the month of January 1993 at YWAM Ghana. In 1994, he did Introduction to Bibilcal Counselling in Switzerland. He went further to do School of Biblical Studies (SBS) in the year 1998 at Togo. Also he did school of Communication, school of Evangelism, school of Humanities And Sciences in Togo, School of Church Planting & Teaching.

He and Paul Dangtoumda organized ‘GO-FEST 2001’ which was hosted by Redeemed Christian Church of God where the International YWAM team administered. He hosted the YWAM International team in benin for about 2 weeks where they worked with some churches and created awareness for the ‘GO-FEST 2001’ conference. This event ushered YWAM into Nigeria.
He co-pioneered the establishment of YWAM Nigeria in 2002 in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. He worked with Paul Dangtoumda as well as the YWAM Nigeria team travelling to different part of West Africa including Mali and Burkina Faso in preparation of YWAM Nigeria. One of those times He and Paul Dangtoumda was attacked by robbers they had to run several kilometers in the forest in the dark. He wrote over 150 articles and published over 60 of this articles which are distributed freely and used by many Christians, Evangelists and Christian organizations for evangelism. He also started the magazine series – “Light to the Nations.”

He joined the Nigeria Civil Defense and Security Corps (NCDSC) and got to the post of Assistant Superintendent at Lagos in 2003.

In 2003, he joined The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement (TLCCRM) as the State Evangelist and was also an elder in the State Headquarters in Edo State. He travelled to the different part of the state to raise and uplift the branches of the Church especially Auchi and Ekpoma. He also gave his time going to the houses of the newcomers and brings them on each service day.

In October 2007, John Azuka pioneered YWAM Edo State (Rehoboth Base) which presently runs the Discipleship Training School (DTS) and School of Biblical Studies (SBS). He attended the Leadership Training Course at YWAM Port Harcourt Campus in October, 2009.

He endeavored that he trained his children in the way of the Lord of which he was a success. He preached to the members of his community and God through him reached out to him. He discipled them.

Days before his departure, he talked about the beauty of heaven and the essence of forgiveness continuously. Also he told his wife continuously that he wanted to sleep and rest. On the day of his departure, he slept smiling, such that those in the house thought he was still sleeping from about 3.00am till about 3.00pm of that day.

At the two hospitals, the doctors had issues knowing if he was dead because they said he looked like one that was asleep but when they tried to fix drip into his veins, they could not see his veins thus John Azuka passed into glory. He was a blessing to his generations.

Before his death, he was weakened in health yet he fought the good fight and propagated the gospel of Christ. During the time of his ill-health, he wrote several visions which he said if he cannot achieve others could run with it. He was a mentor, father and spiritual leader to many.