Nigerian thespian Pete Edochie has dismissed rumours of his death, labelling them a baseless hoax.
Speaking to Vanguard News, the Nollywood legend noted that those spreading rumours have declared him dead no more than seven times.
The 78-year-old actor stated that he is in good condition currently and narrated several instances where widespread rumours declared him deceased and left him frustrated.
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“I’m alive and will die when my maker calls me home. I have been killed about seven times.”
He went on to elaborate, “There was a time they said I travelled abroad and died there. At other times, they said the plane I boarded from Enugu to Ethiopia suddenly crashed and I didn’t survive.”
Pete Edochie also recounted how another hoax from Ghana, alleging he was dead, impacted his family’s mental health. His wife once received a phone call claiming he had passed away that morning, just as she was preparing to go to church.
The actor attributed his dismissal of death rumours to a mentality inherited from the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, whom he interviewed decades ago.
“However, there was something late Nnamdi Azikiwe taught me when I interviewed him. He said anybody wishing you death will die before you. All those people that wished Zik death died before him.”
Pete Edochie also highlighted his family’s longevity, stating, “My father died at 96, so we have longevity in my family.”
The latest hoax, which circulated on social media in early February after a TikTok user alleged the actor’s passing, adds to similar reports dating back to 2012.
Pete Edochie’s career began in radio broadcasting in 1967 as a junior programs assistant, and he quickly rose through the ranks to director of programs at Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS).
He made his mark in acting with the film adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart”, winning an international award. This early success paved the way for his Nollywood career. Despite his age, the actor remains active in the film industry and has won awards like the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and the AMVCA Industry Merit Award.
