In a recent interview, veteran Nollywood star Pete Edochie, revealed his thought on Nigerian politics, the movie industry(Nollywood), and many more. Read excerpts below...
Some entertainers are going into politics, are you planning to do so in future?
I don’t like politics. Politicians don’t speak the truth. Regrettably, there is no morality in politics. It doesn’t justify it. I want people to see me for who I am. If Pete Edochie says this thing is black, it’s black, there are no two ways to it. In the next ten years, he still tells you this is black. It gives me honour, it gives me integrity. But if tomorrow, I join politics and make a statement, people will begin to analyse it.
Whereas, in the movie industry today, I am the most respected actor. All the people who are part of the movies I feature in, respect me as their father. And it gives me a lot of honour and satisfaction because I see all of them as members of my family. So, I don’t like politics. Recently, a new administration came on board in Nigeria. A lot of people have been asking me about my expectations from the new government. And my answer is very simple, ‘Nothing.’
Buhari may stand out as an incorruptible creature. But what about the people under his administration? If Nigeria can be tinkered and rebuilt after Buhari’s image, we will have a wonderful country. But when you are so stuck in-graft, so stuck in corruption, it’s not always easy to get rid of these vices in a single day. I was following the progress of the now ruling party, APC, and I told a couple of my friends that this party has no ideology.
I kept wanting to hear from them, this is what we shall do and this is how we shall do it. I didn’t see or hear anything like that. The best politician this country has ever produced is Obafemi Awolowo. He may have been parochial but I love Awolowo for one thing. He would tell you I’m going to build this house, and this is what it will cost me to carry out the project. This is how I am going to raise the fund, and he went ahead and achieved it. No other politician has been able to beat the record in Nigeria.
What would you like to be remembered for?
Let it be said that, I spent my life giving joy to other people.
ONCE HURT BY THE SYSTEM
I started acting practically before all of them. But I got hurt along the line. During the centenary celebration, my name was dropped. It was deliberate, conspiratorial. I saw it, and people wrote about it in the dailies and called me on phone. Even Former President Goodluck Jonathan was mad over it. Again, it happened, and I did not kill anybody for it.
At the end of the day, it is the way that your audience sees you that matters. AfricaMagic organized Viewers Choice Award and the entire continent said, this bearded man desired an honour and I was given a car. I have never angled for anything. Not at all. I have won more awards than anybody else in the industry. I don’t struggle for these things.
Could you relive the experience you had in the hands of those criminals that abducted you few years ago at Nkpor, a suburb in the commercial town of Onitsha?
It’s something I don’t like talking about it.
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