Pete Edochie, a veteran Nollywood actor, rejected claims of his death on Wednesday, February 12.
Recall that a blogger falsely reported that Pete Edochie had been transported to the hospital and died, claiming that his son, Uche Edochie, had confirmed the incident on social media.
However, Pete Edochie disputed the story, alleging that the reports were false during a phone call with journalists.
WITHIN NIGERIA discovered that Pete Edochie’s death had been announced and disseminated seven times online.
Pete Edochie was falsely reported to have died while traveling abroad in 2012. According to the story, the jet he boarded from Enugu to Ethiopia crashed and he did not survive. However, Channels Television and the Actors Guild of Nigeria both denied the rumor.
In 2015, another story claimed that Peter Edochie died on his way to the hospital. The story claimed his son, Uche Edochie, verified it on Instagram. However, Pete Edochie later refuted the tale, claiming it was fake.
Pete Edochie was mistakenly reported to have perished in a subsequent plane disaster in 2017. According to the source, the veteran Nollywood legend was on his way to an undisclosed African location when his plane crashed. However, he discredited the claim and labeled it as fake news.
In 2018, 2020, and 2022, bloggers falsely claimed Pete Edochie’s death, claiming he died on his way to the hospital and was buried.
15 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Veteran and Nollywood Legend, Pete Edochie
He was born on March 7, 1947
He is a native of Nteje, Anambra State but was born in Zaria, Kaduna State
He attended St. Patrick’s and St. James Primary School in Kaduna State
He later proceed to St. John’s College, Kaduna where he completed his secondary education
He relocated to England after his second education and reportedly studied journalism and television there
He began his professional journey in broadcasting in 1967 at the Eastern Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation
He rose from junior program assistant to director and acting managing director
In 1980, he had a major breakthrough in acting after he starred as Okonkwo in the NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
The role he played in the NTA adaptation of China Achebe’s Things Fall Apart brought him international acclaim and a feature from the BBC
He has starred in hundreds of films, including classics like “Igodo”, Living in Bondage, Oracle, “Rituals”, “The Last Burial”, and “Lionheart”
He has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) honor, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Africa Movie Academy Awards, and many industry merit awards
He married Josephine in 1969, and they have six children, including Nollywood actor Yul Edochie
In 2009, he was kidnapped but later got released unharmed
His deep baritone, gravitas, and professionalism have made him a staple in African cinema
He is known for portraying wise, authoritative figures—kings, chiefs, patriarchs