Nigerian Pastors and Bishops

Full Name: Pastor Christopher Oghenebrorie Okotie
Date of Birth: 16th June, 1958.
Place of Birth: Ethiope West, Delta State, Nigeria.
Nationality: Nigerian
Education: (L.L.B Hons), University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Occupation: Pastor
Marital Status: Not-Married
Website: http://revchrisokotie.com/font>


Reverend Chris Okotie was born on the 16th of June, 1958 to the family of Francis Idje and Cecilia Okotie in Ethiope West Local Government area of Delta State, South-South Nigeria. He had his primary education between 1964 and 1970 at Kirikiri Primary School, Lagos, as his father, who was a civil servant, was stationed in Lagos at the time. He proceeded to Edo College in Benin for his secondary education between 1971 and 1977. He had his 'A' Level certificate in 1978 and went on to study law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in the former Anambra but now Enugu state. His multi-talented nature was evident from his childhood and became more apparent when he became the lead singer of the Edo College school band. His exploits in music blossomed and while he was studying law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he eventually rose to become the most celebrated Nigerian pop music star in 1980 when he released his first album, ‘I Need Someone.' At the peak of his young musical career and to the bewilderment of the show business world and the general public, in 1984, he decided to abandon his musical career and return to the university to complete his study of law. It was in this period that he had his conversion experience and became a born again Christian, having experienced the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was eventually awarded a Bachelor's degree in Law at his graduation in 1984, thereafter moving to the Nigerian Law School in Lagos. In 1985, in obedience to a divine call from the Lord Jesus Christ, he left the shores of Nigeria and proceeded to bible school in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the United States of America to prepare for a life of Christian ministry. He returned to Nigeria in 1986, and after being commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ, launched into the pastoral ministry with the inauguration of the HOUSEHOLD OF GOD FELLOWSHIP in 1987, and which later became THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES.

The young ministry had its inaugural Sunday morning service on the 1st of February, 1987 in his living room, then in the Ikeja area of Lagos state. As membership of the young but peculiar church grew into the hundreds and thousands, the surrounding grounds of his house became sitting area for the overspill from the living room. The ministry of the church and the person of Reverend Chris Okotie as a minister of the gospel became nationally recognized when the Lord Jesus Christ inspired the inauguration of the GRACE PROGRAMME and the television ministry, APOKALUPSIS. The charity driven GRACE programme was instituted in 1990 and has become a major benevolence channel of the ministry on an annual basis. The objective of the programme as directed by the Lord Jesus is to extend the arm of care and sharing to the less privileged in the society through recognized non governmental organizations who deal directly with such people. In 1996 the KARIS AWARD, yet another inspiration by the Lord Jesus, which is aimed at appreciating Nigerians who have positively impacted the nation but have not been recognized by the government, was instituted and subsumed into the GRACE programme.

In 1990, Okotie established the annual Karis Awards, hosted by his church, to recognize and financially reward Nigerian citizens. The Karis Award gives recognition to, while financially rewarding Nigerians who had offered distinguished service to the nation, but are not recognized nor rewarded for their contributions to the nation building. Some recipients are, Prof. Chike Obi, the mathematician (1996), D.I.G. Chris Omeben, a retired policeman (1997), Mr. Taiwo Akinwunmi who designed the national flag (1998), Hogan Bassey, former Commonwealth and World boxing champion (1999), Chief Michael Imodou, the Labour leader (2000), Chief Margaret Ekpo (2001), nationalist and woman activist, Mallam Aminu Kano, nationalist (2004)and Isaac Adaka Boro, human rights activist (2005).

The GRACE Program also makes regular cash and material contributions to charity organizations such as the SOS Children Village, the Sunshine Foundation, Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted and Little Saints Orphanage, Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, and The Childcare Trust.

Pastor Chris Okotie first came into politics in 2003 under the Justice Party(JP) where he ran for the position of President but lost to Olusegun Obansanjo of the People’s Democratic party (PDP). He again ran for the same position in 2007 under the party he founded himself that is- Fresh Democratic Party (Fresh), but lost to Umaru Yar’Adua of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP). Pastor Chris Okotie, not deterred again ran for the presidential seat in 2011 and lost to Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP).

It is worthy to note that Pastor Chris Okotie is a philanthropist to the core as his material contributions to various charity organizations and associations has endeared him to many people.