Chief Pete Edochie, MON (born 7 March 1947) is a Nigerian actor. Edochie is considered one of Africa’s most talented actors, being honoured with an Industry Merit Award by Africa Magic and Lifetime Achievement by Africa Film Academy.
Although a seasoned administrator and
broadcaster, he came into prominence in the 1980s when he played the
lead role of Okonkwo in an NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s all-time
best selling novel, Things Fall Apart. Edochie descends from the Igbo
people in Nigeria and is a Catholic. In 2003, he was honoured as a
Member of the Order of the Niger by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Career
He
got into radio broadcasting in 1967 at the age of 20 as a junior
programmes assistant after which he was elevated to the level of a
Director. He was director of programmes, but doubling sometimes as
Deputy Managing Director and occasionally acting as Managing Director.
He quit ABS because the government decided to politicise the affairs of
their FM station, thereby resulting in the entire management being asked
to move out, including him. He was to be the immediate successor to the
MD but had to leave and enrol into the movie industry. Prior to that,
he had featured in Things Fall Apart and had won an International Award.
The BBC flew into Nigeria to interview him for his role in Things Fall
Apart.
In September 2017, Edochie endorsed Wikimedia movement in
Nigeria by appearing in a video to increase awareness and use of
Wikipedia among the older generations.
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