At 70, I’m praying on my succession suits me —Mike Okonkwo

The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, Dr. Mike Okonkwo, who clocks 70 today walked with an uncomplicated gait that did not give an inkling of his age. Dressed in an attire that enhanced his youthful looks, he welcomed remarks that complemented his looks with an exceptional grace and proceeded to talk about his thoughts on becoming a septuagenarian.
"I feel happy and excited that I have been able to get to the age of 70. For me, it is a blessing and I am really grateful to God.
At 70, I have come to realise that people are still people and they would play out who they are. You must expect shocks in your life. Challenges and pressure are parts of life. Life is made up of mountains and valleys but that should not stop you from living your dream. If I had allowed all the challenges I had been through in life to stop me, I wouldn't be where I am today. Challenges must come but you must learn to hold your head high," he says.
A former banker, he recalled his parents reaction when he answered the call to become a pastor. The cleric recollects, "They were angry at me. They did not consent and could not understand why I should become a pastor since I was working in a bank and had a bright future in the then African Continental Bank. I was serving at Martins Street, Lagos. Out of the blue, I said I had the call of God and to worsen it, of all places to get the call, it was in a Pentecostal church. They would have preferred if I answered the call of God in an Anglican or Catholic Church but not a Pentecostal church.
"They were so uncomfortable and confused with my decision that at a stage, they arranged a policeman to arrest me and frame me for something I knew nothing of so as to divert my attention. But I was resolute. My mind was made up. Somebody told me not to have contact with them so they would not distract me. They later consented when they realised the ministry had started growing, and they saw evidence of God's blessings in my life."
Even though he admitted that he did not envisage his success, he is appreciative. He notes, "God gave me wonderful promises concerning my ministry but to be honest, I didn't believe Him. It wasn't a case that I was so sure He would do this. So, whatever God has done for me now are like surprises. Of course, He said He would do it but it didn't look like it. Everything around me didn't show it was going to be like that. But here we are. He has done it and He has even exceeded what He promised to do. I am excited."
Discussing his soulmate, Bishop Peace Okonkwo, is one activity that puts smiles on his face and his
Bishop Okonkwo
countenance leaves you convinced he is still love-struck, despite being married to her for over 30 years.
"Both of us were in the same church," the Bishop says. "When I saw her, I just fell in love with her but I didn't have the courage to talk to her because ordinarily, I am a shy person. I don't know how to 'toast' women. When I saw her, I desired to marry her but I couldn't express it. She felt I was too arrogant because I would drive to the church in my father's car. She came from a humble background and had lost her father at a young age. Eventually, I found out that she was attached to my elder sister. I had to tell my sister I was in love with the girl and wanted to marry her. Eventually, I spoke to her about it. We both spoke to our parents and our spiritual head about it and they okayed our decision.
"I hadn't answered the call before we got married. I was still working in the bank. When I decided to leave the bank, it became another issue. People bombarded her with questions. Some asked her who in the world marries a preacher. They told her she would die hungry. Eventually, she travelled to the United Kingdom and spent four years there. I had already answered the call and I had started my ministry. I think a preacher told her that her husband was in Nigeria and he was a preacher. So, at the end of her schooling in the UK, she came back and we got married. I cannot thank God enough for the type of wife he has given to me because I always ask myself, 'If God did not give her to me, how would I have coped?' I know people may say I'm saying this in order to cover up. But I am saying the truth. I do not think I would have achieved the much I have achieved over the years if God did not give me the type of wife I have."
His life as a minister of God he said has not been without challenges and enumerated those he considered the most challenging.
"The first challenge was when I lost my first child. It was very sad. I got married in 1980 and we had our first daughter in 1982," he recounts. "We went on crusade in 1984 in Abeokuta and we came back for the Christmas. On Christmas Day, she sang with children in the choir. After the service on December 25, she developed high fever and on December 26, she died.
"Another challenge was the death of my immediate younger brother. He was the only family support I had when I came into the ministry newly. Our parents refused to send him to school to further his education. They did that to punish him for supporting me. One day in the 80s, I travelled out of the country and gave him an assignment with one of my elders to conduct an interview on my behalf at the church. Some robbers followed him closely in his Peugeot 504 car and shot at him. He was taken to one hospital in Akoka but eventually, he died in another hospital. It was very sad but God encouraged me that challenges should not make me to reject the call of God."
Talking about his achievements in life and the ministry brings a fresh glow to his countenance. Unable to mask his delight, he tackles the question with relative ease.
"That is a comparative question because there are different milestones. When I built my first church inside water at Akoka, I could not have done that but my God gave me the biggest church. Looking back now, it is nothing compared to when we came here, and built this present place. My greatest achievements are the men and women my life has impacted; that is a legacy for me. Everywhere I go in the nations, even people who are not directly involved, tell me my life and ministry had impacted their lives," he says.
His youthful looks cannot be ignored and when questions related to it are raised, he responded in between laughs. "A lot of people have good looks and good health maybe because they engage in different exercises. If you watch what you eat and keep good habits, you will look young," he argues. "But in my own case, I will attribute my looks to God. Yes, I engage in exercises but I do not exercise to win Olympics. I play table tennis and I like to swim but I am not too sure of the swimming pools in this country and I do not have a private one so, I swim probably when I am abroad. What I do regularly, at least when I am in the country, is to play table tennis at least three times a week."
He is not unenthusiastic about discussing succession, a topic most persons in his position will shy away from. In summarising his view, he puts forward his belief.
Okonkwo says, "I am working on it. I am praying about it and I trust God. This is His work, not my work, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That is why I am not holding on to anything. Some ministers of the gospel ask why I do not transfer my people every year and I tell them those things are based on insecurity. I just do what is right and leave the rest for God to take care of. What God cannot do, man cannot do it. My part is to pray and know what direction He leads. He will preserve His church."
His style he affirms is simple and straightforward. "I like to dress decent and I wear what suits me. I like to be comfortable and dress my age irrespective of the occasion."
He has a counsel though, "Don't take people for granted, anybody can be a stepping stone for you. Appreciate everybody. There is no solo successful man in life. There is always somebody that is instrumental in your life."