At 28 in 1979 after working as a State Commissioner, Mark Okoye was elected into the House of Reps. Then in February 1982 he was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, making him one of the youngest Ministers in Shehu Shagari’s government.

Chief Mark was the father of Anambra State Commissioner, Mark Okoye Jnr

In 2014, at the age of 28, Mark Jnr was instrumental to the creation of the region’s foremost investment promotion agency, Anambra State Investment Promotion & Protection Agency, where he served as the pioneer Executive Director.

Following closely in his father’s footsteps

In 2015 Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano appointed Mark Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partnerships.

Making him the youngest Commissioner in Nigeria at 30 ( since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999)

There is an interesting story about Chief Mark Okoye Snr. On completion of his youth service he had impressed some highly placed individuals.

One of these individuals had given him a note to speak to a particular commissioner who in turn was to give him a job.

On getting to the Commissioner’s office. The commissioner could not talk to him and asked him to return the following week.

Mark Okoye returned the following day.

The commissioner, clearly frustrated shouted at him and said “I asked you to come back in a week! I will not offer you a job!”

Mark calmly said to him “I’m no longer coming for a job for you, Sir.

I am your replacement”