Organizers of the annual Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition have announced call for entries for the 2022 edition of the competition.
This is contained in a statement signed and released on Thursday by Rev. (Mrs.) Oluwayomi Uteh, Corporate Services Director.
According to the statement, the 2022 edition of the competition will be the 17th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition and the theme is: “Nigeria A Country At War Against Itself: The Problems; The Solutions And The Way Forward”.
From March 14th to May 20th, 2022, Secondary School Students across the Six (6) geopolitical zone in the country will slog it out for the first, second, and third prize winners of the 17th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for 2022.
Aside from the cash prize of N100,000, N75,000, and N50,000 for the First, Second, and Third Prize winners, the first prize winner will also get a laptop and a plaque while the school gets three sets of computers. The second prize winner will also get a plaque while the school gets two (2) sets of personal computers and the third prize winner’s school will get one set of a personal computer.
The Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition, which has attracted thousands of students over the years, has been a platform that enables secondary school students to sharpen their writing skills for their future benefit.
For participation in the 17th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary School Students, the entry requirements include an essay of a maximum of 2000 words, a Passport Photograph of the Student, Full Name, Address, Contact Telephone Number, Class, School and Name and Telephone contact of the Principal. Essays are to be submitted through email to [email protected] only.
The Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition spans over a decade of developing and rewarding the writing skills of Nigerian youths towards national development.
The competition is one of Dr. Mike Okonkwo’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities aimed at raising the standard in the educational sector in the country and at the same time sensitize the students by making them analytically minded exceling in their world by developing their ability to think through issues. It also forms a part of the activities lined up to mark the 77th Birthday of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).
The prizes for this year’s competition will be presented to the winners at the 21st Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, which has been scheduled for Thursday, September 8, 2022, at the Muson Centre (Shell Hall) by 10.00 am prompt.
Dr. Mike Okonkwo is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) a.k.a. Power in the Word with over 200 branches in Nigeria and across the globe. He is an Apostle to this generation, whose life has impacted millions around the world. A father to many, and a pastor to pastors across the globe, Dr. Mike Okonkwo is also a dynamic conference speaker, crusade evangelist, a national spokesman for Nigeria, and an advocate of balanced Christianity.
As the host of ‘Power in the Word’ a life-transforming television broadcast series, Dr. Okonkwo’s Holy Spirit-inspired insight into the Word of God is remarkably outstanding and empowers millions in Nigeria and across the globe. He is also the host of ‘Power for the Wise’ a daily devotional program on the radio that is transforming lives daily. He is also an author whose books have been life-transforming tools in the hands of those who have been privileged to come in contact with them.
Dr. Mike Okonkwo holds several doctorate degrees and honorary awards. He is the Convener of the Communion of Covenant Ministers International (CCMI) a gathering of Pastors designed for Fellowship, Spiritual Covering, Mentoring, Strengthening, and Networking, through conferences, seminars, and other interactive sessions. He is a member of the National Advisory Council (NAC) of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.
He is a man driven by the passion to show the love of God to humanity in every way the Lord enables him. This passion gave birth to the Empowerment for the Less Privileged Foundation, a non-governmental organization committed to alleviating the plight of the less privileged in the society through donations to hospitals, the establishment of free vocational training centers, running free preparatory schools for students in the secondary schools, and facilitating regular public enlightenment campaigns on health issues amongst others. He also pioneers a scholarship fund for talented students who are less privileged. His strong faith and confidence in women and the potential in women gave him a place on the board of Trustees of the Women of Global Impact (WGI) a non-governmental organization putting smiles in the faces of women by providing shelter to the homeless and organizes free medical fair for both men and women across the nation amongst other things.
To contribute his quota to national development he started the Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture in 2000 and the lecture has grown to become a major contributor to government policies as it brings together seasoned men and women to discuss burning national issues. Also, to encourage the writing skills of children in secondary school and to help them become solution providers to the nation, the Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition was born. It is pertinent to note that the topic for the essay is also the topic for the annual lecture.
In 2012, he was a recipient of the National Honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) by the Federal Government.
Bishop Mike Okonkwo is married to Bishop Peace Okonkwo and they are blessed with a daughter, Uche.