Pete Edochie @ 73: I’m here to outlive my late father

Pete Edochie

Legendary Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie turns 73 years on Saturday and he said he is here to outlive his late father who died at the age of 96.

Edochie, who starred in several movies, will never forget his leading role in “Things Fall Apart,” an adaptation of the book written by late legendary writer, Prof, Chinua Achebe.

An elated Edochie took to his Instagram page on Saturday to give God the glory for sparing his life till this moment.

But the famous actor said he is not tired of living in this world, as he set a new goal for himself.

Edochie’s new goal is to outlive his late father, who was 96 years before he died.

He wrote: ” Pete Edochie, That birthday face. 73 today. God is great. Here to outlive my late father’s age of 96. longevity runs in our gene. Happy birthday to me.”

Edochie, born on March 7, 1947 is a Nigerian actor. Edochie is considered one of Africa’s most talented actors, being honored 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 of Nigeria and is a Catholic. In 2003, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the Niger by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The legendary actor recently stirred controversy when he said Nigerian men kneeling down to propose to their women are not just fools, but ‘compound buffoons’.

According to him, any man who does that is not “just an idiot but a compound buffoon’‘.

He said: ”Any young man who gets down on his knees to propose to a girl is not just an idiot, he is a bloody fool, a compound buffoon. We try to copy white people.

”I believe in the sanctity of our culture, the essence and the core of our culture. The white man kneels down to propose to a girl. You know what it means, the girl takes over the family. This is why whenever you disagree with a wife overseas, you are kicked out and your wife takes the house.

”Young men who should be in charge of their destinies hand it over to women. That makes you all fools.”

When informed that it is love that makes men go down on their knees to propose, Edochie said; ”I have lived with my wife for 51 years, nobody has said stop beating this woman. Kneel down before your wife, I will sympathise with you when she takes over the home.”