Oldest actor in Nollywood saga: Bob- Manuel Udokwu denies viral statement about Pete Edochie

…Says, ‘I will never disrespect the legendary actor’

By Benjamin Njoku

Popular actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu has clarified a viral statement attributed to him regarding Pete Edochie’s status as the oldest actor in Nollywood. Udokwu claims he was misrepresented in a podcast interview.

The actor was quoted as insinuating that Pete Edochie was ‘parading himself and deceiving others as the oldest actor’ in Nollywood. The comment has since sparked mixed-reactions on social media, with many slamming Bob-Manuel Udokwu. Clarifying the statement in a chat with NollyNow during the week, Udokwu said that he started acting in Nollywood before Pete Edochie, but did not say Edochie was “parading himself and deceiving others” as the oldest actor.

He explained that he was referring to the modern Nollywood industry, distinguishing it from earlier works like “Things Fall Apart,” in which Edochie starred.

Udokwu, who’s the Special Adviser on Entertainment, Leisure and Tourism to Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State emphasized the importance of respecting elders in African culture and expressed his admiration for Pete Edochie, acknowledging that Edochie is older than him.

He highlighted Edochie’s legendary status in Nollywood, citing his iconic roles in films like “Things Fall Apart” and “Egg of Life”

“I granted a podcast interview along the lines that I was in Nollywood before Pete Edichie in an answer to a question posed to me by the host of the show. But the statement: “as he is parading himself and deceiving others” is certainly not from me. I was misrepresented.

‘That’s a very wrong thing for them to do. I never said that. All I said was that if you are referring to Nollywood, I started acting before Pete Edochie. He may have started acting before me like in “Things Fall Apart’, but the TV series was not part of Nollywood. Kanayo O. Kanayo had said the same thing many years ago. They now wrote that I said he was parading himself and deceiving others.

‘I acted in “Checkmate’ and “When the Sun Sets”, but I don’t count it as part of Nollywood. Pete Edochie is older than me by far. In our African culture, we don’t disrespect our elders. I will never disrespect Pete Edochie.

Pete Edochie, also known as Ebubedike rose to prominence in the 1980s after his legendary role as Okonkwo in the NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

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