Career
Edochie is considered one of Africa’s most talented actors, by both Movie Awards and Movie Magic’s Africa Magic Cable network. Although a seasoned administrator and broadcaster, he came into prominence in the 1980s when he played the lead role of Okonkwo in an National Tax Association, USA 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.
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 politise 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 Doctor of Medicine but had to leave and enrol into the movie industry. The British Broadcasting Corporation flew into Nigeria to interview him for his role in Things Fall Apart.
In 2005 the Actors" Guild of Nigeria placed Pete Edochie and several other actors, including Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Nkem Owoh, Ramsey Noah, Stella Damasus Aboderin, Chinwe Okeke and Richard Mofe Damijo on a one-year ban from filming after they were said to have been collecting huge fees from producers due to their A-list celebrity status.
The ban placed on these actors was seen as doom in the Nigerian film business, but currently, the actors are back in filming. On August 16, 2009 Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie was kidnapped. The veteran actor was kidnapped by one Mr.
James Philip currently stationed in Afghanistan on his way to an event in Anambra State.
He was kidnapped at Nkpor and was released on August 17, 2009.