Chris Okotie

{{Short description|Nigerian pastor and televangelist (born 1958)}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Chris Okotie
| image               = Chris Okotie 2011.jpg
| caption             = Chris Okotie, 2011, Lagos
| office              = President of [[Fresh Democratic Party]]
| term_start          = 2011
| term_end            =
| predecessor         =
| successor           =
| constituency        =
| majority            =
| office 2            = Senior Pastor, [[Household of God Church]]
| birth_date          = 16 June 1958
| birth_place         = Ethiope East, Abraka, [[Delta State]], Nigeria
| death_date          =
| death_place         =
| party               = [[Fresh Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| spouse              =
| children            =
| residence           = [[Lagos]], Nigeria
| alma_mater          = [[University of Nigeria, Nsukka]] (LLB,1984)
| occupation          = [[Televangelist]], politician, author, businessman
| profession          =
| website             = http://revchrisokotie.com/
| footnotes           =
}}

'''Christopher Oghenebrorie Okotie''' (born 16 June 1958) is a Nigerian [[televangelist]] and the pastor of the '''Household of God Church''' International Ministries, a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]]<ref name="Marshall">{{Cite book  | last1 = Marshall | first1 = Ruth | title = Political spiritualities : the Pentecostal revolution in Nigeria | year = 2009 | publisher = The University of Chicago Press | location = Chicago ; London | isbn = 978-0-226-50713-2 }}</ref> congregation in [[Lagos]] since February 1987.

==Personal life==
Okotie was born to Francis Idje and Cecilia Okotie, in Ethiope-West, [[Delta State]] (then [[Bendel State]]). As a growing child, he always loved to sing. While in secondary school at Edo College, Benin City, he belonged to the school's Music Club and usually entertained groups of people. He never considered commercialising his talent until his first year at university, when his father died. His hobbies include jogging, martial arts and music.

== Education and career ==
He attended secondary school at [[Edo College]], [[Benin City]].  In 1984, he graduated with a degree in law from the [[University of Nigeria]] at [[Nsukka]].  Okotie abandoned his schooling for a while to pursue a pop music career before his returning abruptly.<ref name="Adeniji">{{cite news
  | last = Adeniji
  | first = Olayiwola
  | title = For Dizzy K, a Centre of Joy
  | work = Africa News Service
  | date = 2002-04-26
  }}</ref> Okotie married twice and announced he has separated from his second wife on June 24, 2012.

He returned to school to complete his education and graduated with a law degree. Whilst undergoing law school he interrupted his schooling again to begin his religious ministries. Okotie attended the Grace Fellowship Bible School in [[Tulsa]], [[Oklahoma]], and, soon after, established the Household of God Ministry.

In 1990, Okotie established the annual Karis Awards, hosted by his church, to recognize and financially reward Nigerian citizens.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

== Corona Virus ==
When the government of Nigeria declared the reopening of churches in August 2020 but made it compulsory for members to put on their nose masks or face shield, Pastor Okotie condemned the idea of using face shield claiming it would be a reversal of the veil that was broken on the day [[Jesus|Christ]] died and therefore creating a separation between men and God.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-09|title=MASKED, 60-YR-OLD WORSHIPERS: Controversy as Lagos churches reopen today|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/08/masked-60-yr-old-worshiperscontroversy-as-lagos-churches-reopen-today/|access-date=2021-02-23|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Grace programme/Karis Award==
The GRACE Program/ Karis Award is an annual charity event hosted at the church where he pastors; The HouseHold of God International Ministries, [[Lagos]]. The guiding philosophy being that greatness does not consist in being great but in the ability to make others great. 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 Akinkunmi|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).{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

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.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

==Wealth==
In 2011, ''[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]'' estimated his net worth at US$3–10 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/07/the-five-richest-pastors-in-nigeria/2/ |title=The Five Richest Pastors In Nigeria |work=Forbes.com |date=2011-06-22 |access-date=2015-10-05}}</ref>

==Presidential runs==
[[File:Okotie press conference 2011.jpg|thumb|Okotie speaking at a press conference in 2011, Lagos]]
Okotie first ran for the President under the banner of the [[Justice Party (Nigeria)|Justice Party]] (JP), led by Ralph Obiorah after he was schemed out of the [[National Democratic Party (Nigeria)|National Democratic Party]] (NDP) primaries elections; he lost to [[Olusegun Obasanjo]] in the May 2003 elections. He ran again in 2007 on the platform of a party he founded, [[Fresh Democratic Party|Fresh Democratic party]], FRESH and lost to [[Umaru Yar'Adua]] in the [[2007 Nigerian general election|May 2007 elections]]. Then in 2011, he ran and lost to the President [[Goodluck Jonathan]].<ref>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20121217050341/http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/okotie-faults-inecs-justifi-cation-for-deregistration-of-parties/ "Okotie faults INEC's justification for deregistration of parties"]}}, ''[[National Mirror]]'', London, 14 December 2012. Retrieved on 14 December 2012.</ref>

==Controversies==
Okotie had a public spat with fellow Nigerian cleric [[T.B. Joshua]], referring to him as a 'deceptive magician'.<ref>{{Cite news | title = TB Joshua was a deceptive magician who carried the bible — Chris Okotie | url = https://thenationonlineng.net/tb-joshua-was-a-deceptive-magician-who-carried-the-bible-chris-okotie/ | work = The Nation | date = 2021-08-10}}</ref>

== Publications ==
Okotie has published books and is a regular contributor to several Nigerian newspapers.
*''The Last Outcast'' (Best selling book, 2001)
*''A terror war beyond hashtags''
*''A conference of geriatrics''
*''In search of game changers''
*''Power shift: what my readers say''
*''Why Vision 20:2020 became a lost cause''
*''State policies and prophetic solutions''
*''Adadevoh and the Ebola crisis''
*''A Government stuck in timing response snafu''
*''This present assault on education''
*''Rage over villaleaks et al''
*''Time to shift Governance paradigm''
*''2015: Imperative of the paradigm shift option''
*''ASUU strike: implications of political infidelity''
*''Counting the cost of insecurity''
*''The looming demographic time bomb''
*''Reclaiming Nigeria's lost hope''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060614130612/http://www.householdofgodchurch.org/ Household of God Church website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180221193339/http://www.freshdemocraticparty.com.ng/ Fresh Democratic Party website]
*[http://www.revchrisokotie.com Rev Chris Okotie website]
{{2007 presidential election candidates, Nigeria}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Okotie, Chris}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Delta State]]
[[Category:Nigerian evangelicals]]
[[Category:Nigerian television evangelists]]
[[Category:Fresh Democratic Party politicians]]
[[Category:Candidates in the Nigerian general election, 2003]]
[[Category:University of Nigeria alumni]]
[[Category:Nigerian Pentecostal pastors]]
[[Category:Delta State politicians]]