AS STUDENTS digest their exam results, most of those celebrating success claim their achievement is all down to hard work.

But Daniel Okirika, who scored top grades in his Engineering BTEC exams, attributes his success to the power of prayer as well as study and dedication.

Daniel, who will be heading to Hertfordshire University to study Civil Engineering after his studies at Christ the King Sixth Form in south London, is a youth pastor for Lighthouse Chapel International, a leading charismatic church which has its headquarters in Ghana.

Referring to his role in the church, he says: ‘By the grace of God, I’ve been made a shepherd for a reason.’

Now with impressive exam results under his belt and his future secure, most people would assume that Daniel has always been a ‘good boy’. But he says he was far from being a model child and had ‘anger issues’.

He says his studies at Christ the King Sixth Form Sixth Form demanded a lot of him: ‘This college was a test for me; a test for me becoming stronger as a Christian.’

And studying engineering wasn’t a ‘given’, either. Daniel says it was a choice between sport and engineering when he arrived at Christ the King Sixth Form. ‘My mum said, “no sport”,’ he laughs.

He says Civil Engineering in particular appeals because of its practical applications. ‘I’ve always been interested in how bridges and motorways are created.’

Christ the King Sixth Form Collegiate Principal Rob McAuliffe says: ‘We’re very proud of Daniel’s success. And his journey at Christ the King demonstrates that while we are a Catholic community, we actively welcome students of all faiths and of none. Christ the King is a place where young people of all backgrounds and beliefs flourish.’