Okpala's parents emigrated from Nigeria to New Zealand in 1987, and Okpala was born in Otahuhu, Auckland the following year. She joined the Papatoetoe Athletics Club when she was 6 years old, and when she was 15 she started competing in the triple jump. Two years later she represented New Zealand at the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships in Morocco. The same year, she also represented New Zealand at the Sydney Youth Games.