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The entries for the 18th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for secondary school students in the country opened on March 20 and will close on June 2, 2023.
A statement signed by the corporate services director, Rev. (Mrs.) Oluwayomi Uteh, said the topic for this year’s competition was: “Nigerianization of Nigerians: A look inward”.
According to her, the entry requirements for the competition include an essay of a maximum of 2,000 words, a passport photograph of the student, full name, address, contact telephone number, class, school, and name and telephone contact of the principal. Participating students were asked to submit their essays in word format through email to [email protected]
She said the star winner would go home with N500,000 cash prize, a trophy and a plaque, while the school gets a desktop computer. The first runner-up gets a cash prize of N250,000 with a plaque, while the school gets a desktop computer. The second runner-up gets N100,000 cash prize and a plaque, while the school receives a desktop computer.
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 sensitizing the students by making them analytically minded so as to excel in their world by developing their ability to think through issues. Rev. Uteh said the competition was also part of the activities lined up to mark the 78th birthday of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).
She explained that, over the years, the competition has been successful in reshaping the thought pattern of the students to develop problem-solving skills.
The Mike Okonkwo national essay competition spans over a decade of developing and rewarding the writing skills of Nigerian youths towards national development.
The prizes for this year’s competition will be presented to the winners at the 22nd Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, which has been scheduled for Thursday, September 7th, 2023 at the Muson Centre (Shell Hall).
Dr. Mike Okonkwo is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM). He is an Apostle to this generation, whose life has impacted millions around the world. He is also a dynamic conference speaker, crusade evangelist, a national spokesman for Nigeria, and an advocate of balanced Christianity.
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 and hold several doctorate degrees and honorary. He is a member of the National Advisory Council (NAC) of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.
His passion to show love gave birth to the Empowerment for the Less Privileged Foundation, a non-governmental organization committed to alleviating the plight of the less privileged in society through donations to hospitals, the establishment of free vocational training centers, running free preparatory schools for students in secondary schools and facilitating regular public enlightenment campaigns on health issues amongst others. He also pioneers a scholarship fund for talented students. 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 on the faces of women by providing Shelter to the homeless and also organizing free medical fair for both men and women across the nation amongst other things.
Also, to encourage the writing skills of children in secondary school and also to help them become solution providers to the nation, the Mike Okonkwo essay competition was born.
In 2012, the Federal Government honoured him with a National Honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR).
