Entries For 2024 Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition Open

The 19th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition is now accepting entries from all Nigerian secondary school students between April 8 and June 15, 2024.

According to Rev. Oluwayomi Uteh, the Corporate Services Director, the topic for this year’s competition is “Nigeria’s Pathways: Diagnosis And Prescriptions.”

The 19th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary School Students requires an essay of no more than 2000 words, a passport photograph of the student, full name, address, contact phone number, class, school, and the name and phone number of the principal. All essays should be submitted in Word document format to essay@trem.org via email.

This year, the star winner receives N500,000.00 in cash, a trophy, and a plaque, while the school receives a desktop computer. The first runner-up receives a cash prize of N250,000.00 with a plaque, while the school receives a desktop computer. The second-place finisher receives N100,000 in cash and a plaque, while the school receives a desktop computer.

The competition is one of Dr. Mike Okonkwo’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities, with the goal of raising the standard in the country’s educational sector while also sensitising students by developing their analytical skills, allowing them to excel in their world by developing their ability to think through issues. Also, as part of the activities planned to commemorate Dr. Mike Okonkwo, Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), 79th birthday.

Over the years, the competition has been very effective in reshaping students’ thought patterns and assisting them in developing problem-solving skills.

The Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition has been developing and rewarding Nigerian youths’ writing skills for over a decade in order to promote national development.

The winners of this year’s competition will be announced at the 23rd Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, which will take place at the Muson Centre (Shell Hall) on Thursday, September 5th, 2024, at 10 a.m.

Dr. Mike Okonkwo is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), also known as Power in the Word, which operates over 200 branches in Nigeria and around the world. He is a modern-day Apostle whose life has had an impact on millions of people. Dr. Mike Okonkwo is a father to many and a pastor to pastors all over the world. He is also a dynamic conference speaker, crusade evangelist, Nigerian national spokesman, and proponent of balanced Christianity.

Dr. Okonkwo’s Holy Spirit-inspired insight into God’s Word is remarkably outstanding as the host of ‘Power in the Word,’ a life-changing television broadcast series that empowers people in Nigeria and around the world. He also hosts ‘Power for the Wise,’ a radio devotional programme that transforms lives on a daily basis. He is also an author whose books have transformed the lives of those who have had the opportunity to read them.

Dr. Mike Okonkwo has multiple doctorates and honorary degrees. He is the Convener of the Communion of Covenant Ministers International (CCMI), a Pastors’ gathering that provides Fellowship, Spiritual Covering, Mentoring, Strengthening, and Networking through conferences, seminars, and other interactive sessions. He serves on the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria’s National Advisory Council (NAC).

He is a man driven by a desire to demonstrate God’s love for humanity in whatever way the Lord allows. This passion gave rise to the Empowerment for the Less Privileged Foundation, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to alleviating the plight of society’s less privileged through donations to hospitals, the establishment of free vocational training centres, the operation of free preparatory schools for secondary school students, and the facilitation of regular public enlightenment campaigns on health issues, among other activities. He also established a scholarship fund for gifted students. His strong faith and confidence in women and their potential earned him a spot on the board of Trustees of the Women of Global Impact (WGI), a non-governmental organisation that puts smiles on the faces of women by providing shelter to the homeless and organising free medical fairs for both men and women across the country, among other things.

In order to fulfil his contribution to national development, he established the Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture in 2000. The lecture has grown to be a significant contributor to government policies because it brings together experienced men and women to discuss pressing national issues. The Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition was also established to encourage secondary school students’ writing skills and to assist them in becoming solution providers for the nation. Today, the essay topic serves as the annual lecture topic.

In 2012, the Federal Government bestowed upon him the National Honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR).

Bishop Mike Okonkwo is married to Bishop Peace Okonkwo, and they have a daughter named Uche.