Yes I'm afraid of death - Pete Edochie

Scheduling an interview with Pete Edochie seems like an assignment of a lifetime. There have been stories about him being a no-nonsense man, and someone who had been wary of journalists since he was kidnapped a few years back. Even his movie roles as a wicked ritualist, Igwe or strict father did not help matters either.

 

He did not pick his phone the first time, but when he eventually did, one had a momentary fear of rejection, which had been the lot of many before now.

 

“Good afternoon sir. My name is Joan from the Saturday Tribune. We haven’t heard from you in a while; we have missed your movies and your proverbs, and I would like to schedule an interview with you.”

 

He seemed to pull back a little and I felt ‘Well, if he says no, too bad.’ But he laughed softly and said, “Joan, your name is pronounced ‘J-o-n-e’ not ‘Jo-anne’; why have you decided to spoil your name? When I was younger, I trained in the British Broadcasting Corporation. You dared not pronounce names that way.”

“Yes sir, actually sir, I know.” (That actually brightened up the mood). Then he laughed heartily and said, “About the interview, I’ll think about it and get back to you.”

 

Of course, the next time, he agreed and said he would be in Lagos the next weekend. When I arrived at the venue of the interview, I was ushered in and asked to wait for minutes. And when he came in, he was actually very different from what we used to see on the screen. He was as tall as a giant, and he spread out his hands and beckoned on me to come into his embrace. I thought I heard him whisper a few words that sounded like ‘don’t be afraid, honey. Nno (welcome).’ He sat down and said, “You know why I agreed to grant this interview? Most of the times people call me for interviews and I keep running away, but you never gave up; you never gave me a break. You have been on my case for the past three weeks. Well done kid.”  In this chat with JOAN OMIONAWELE, the ace broadcaster/actor described his world and his life as an actor.

 

You were rumoured to have died last year; how did that make you feel?

It did not make me feel anything.

 

So you did not feel bad that people wanted you dead?

If you know me and my character make-up, I don’t bother very much about what people say about me; I have my life to live. From my philosophical persuasion, I am a Fabian, and I believe that the end must justify the means. That does not mean that you must give everything to get something, but if you make up your mind, make sure you are not obsessed with getting to step on the toes of people. It’s a question of conviction and resistance. So, I wasn’t bothered.

 

People have said you withdrew from movies because you were kidnapped years back...

I did not. I decided to pursue an undying vision, an assignment I was given by the church, and I gave priority treatment to that. I still act but that’s when I have the time. I am in Lagos today, and by the time a role comes, I will be in Aba. I did six movie productions last year.

 

Let me take you back to the year you were kidnapped. Do you still think about it?

No, though once in a while you recall an experience that is haunting; but what can we do when we are in a country with little or no security?

 

So you did not have nightmares after the experience?

No, I did not. I am a very strong-minded man and if something explodes here, nothing will happen if it doesn’t touch me. Though I am hypertensive, I don’t scare easily.

 

Recently, Pastor Chris Okotie said all Catholics would go to hell because they don’t believe in Jesus, and that the Pope is an anti-Christ. As a Catholic, what do you have to say about that?

He is entitled to his opinion. He has a right to say whatever he likes and he is using that right. Constitutionally, he is entitled to it. Stupidity is what we all have in common as human beings, but some people insist that improving it is their entitlement. So, you expect Pete Edochie and other Catholics to be angry? No, I won’t.

 

I knew Chris some years back; he was fond of me when he was still in school. When I was still a broadcaster, a Hausa man presented him with a car and he came and showed it to me. He is someone I have always liked and he is entitled to his views.

 

When people condemn T. B. Joshua and say he is using devilish powers, I tell them, ‘Go and use devilish powers and do what he is doing too.’ I don’t believe in running people down because you can’t reach their gifts and depriving others of their hard-earned credit.

 

What do you think about the political situation of the country?

Look at people crossing from one party to the other. It just shows that our democracy has no meaning. The people you owe your obligation to are those who elected you, who make up your constituency. Before you make any decision or defect, consult them. It is rather unfortunate. Before we gravitate to 2015, by the time they want to pick a presidential candidate that is where the problem will come from. Let’s watch.

 

You were elected on a particular political platform, and you switch over, hoping to maintain... Can I ever be a politician? God forbid! Will any of my children become politicians? Let God forbid it now that I am still alive.

 

What if one of them comes up and says he wants to become a politician?

Except he is not my child.

 

Will you disown him?

I will discourage him. I remember an occasion that a politician was on the television and I was sitting with another politician, and the one on TV was screaming, ‘If I get the people who stole this money, I will not only sack them; I will prosecute them,’ and the politician by my side said ‘Nonsense! He took the money; I was there.’

 

Did you ask him if he was given some share of the money?

No, I knew him very well. Both of them are dead now. People were suspended and when power changed hands, those who were suspended were brought back because of that money. So, Pete Edochie will never be a politician.

 

You see, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was my ideal politician. If he said I would do this project with a million, he would tell you where the million would come from. He was an incredible person. Awolowo introduced and innovated a lot of programmes in this country. He introduced free education first.

 

If you were not born then, you would not know. Today, we don’t have politicians with conviction. We only have people who hobnob with the public truncheon of the society to milk us dry. Awolowo would go to universities to campaign and get people to do meaningful researches for him and provide him with necessary materials. But we are not doing anything again. They found oil money and got drunk with it. Haven’t we had enough?

 

Nigerians have known you since you acted Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart, but how did acting really start for you?

I had been on television for a very long time, before Things Fall Apart, but people who were in Lagos did not know that people like us existed. They were only seeing Village Headmaster with Funso Adeolu, but we had been on stage since 1967. Before then, I had done drama sketches in school – Shakespeare and the rest of them. It was Things Fall Apart that gave me international exposure, and the biggest compliment I got was from Chinua Achebe, who said I gave Things Fall Apart the interpretation after his heart. The BBC crew flew down to Nigeria to interview me and went back.

 

Permit me to say this without sounding immodest: no other actor has attracted such international attention in the country.

 

The proverbs you use in your movies, are they scripted or from your repertoire?

(Laughs) They come from me.

 

Everything?

Yes, everything.

 

When you use those proverbs, how do the directors react?

I am asking you the question: how would they feel, you are a daughter, if I use a proverb to correct you? You are not going to question the propriety of that proverb, because if it were not, I wouldn’t use it.

 

Pete Edochie always acts the role of a rich man or an Igwe? How rich are you in reality?

Well, I eat three times a day, when I feel like. I trained all my kids and take care of them without borrowing from the bank. People always ask why I am always given such roles and I ask them in return, can you cast me as a driver? No. Can you cast me as a gateman? No.

 

But I heard there are instances you rejected such roles?

It is not that. Let me assume that you are given the role of a very big woman, then Pete Edochie is made your driver; I come and open the car for you and I can even physically throw you up and eat you up. If you are looking for a rich man, look for a tall and huge man, with a congenital and aristocratic disposition; then you got me – not someone who trains himself to try to look big. When I sit down as an Igwe, I radiate authority. I am not saying it to flatter myself, but I know what I represent.

 

There was a time I was cast in the role of a poor man, and I was trying to mend nets at the river side, and people looked at my legs and saw that my legs were so smooth and big. I have a physique that makes it difficult to play me down. If all the actors audition for a big role, I will be chosen, because nature has denied me some roles. But I enjoy the roles I am given.

 

Is it true that you correct some scripts?

Yes. Some scripts are written very badly and I am compelled to take them along. I don’t allow them to drag me down or remain there. Some of my colleagues know how those scripts are written.

 

But don’t you think it will make them afraid or tired of giving you roles?

No. Let me tell you something: if you are going to feature in a movie as my daughter, when you come in, I know you will be scared, so I will call you and give you a hug and say ‘Ngwanu, come and sit on my laps,’ and ask you what we are going to eat today, so that at the time we go on set, you are already familiar with me. But our people don’t have that kind of orientation; they position you far away from me and say you should act like my children. That way, there is no closeness.

 

Isn’t it because you are always hardened and act like a wicked man?

If on a movie set you are my daughter, and I am meant to love you as my daughter, I can’t start saying ‘Hey baby, you know I love you.’ It’s silly.

 

It’s un-African. It’s not our culture. You must love your child – even if it’s a love child. But you don’t have to drive the point home. It makes no sense.

 

I watch some young actors and actresses and when they get angry, they kick something and throw things. That is not our culture. I smoked for 21 years before I quit, and each time I got tensed up, I looked for a cigarette, and psychologically I was puffing away the anger; but there is no other thing it does for you physically but to destroy your lungs.

 

We allow the foreign movies we watch to influence us – particularly the younger ones, who want to talk like Americans and say things like ‘Oh shit!’, ‘F..k!’ The African Americans who employ these words use them in protest against the suppression of the White man. They use those words to annoy the White people. Nigerians don’t need those things because we are not under any international suppression – except from ourselves. We cannot express our anger in four-letter words. Someone brought me a script and it was filled with ‘shit’, ‘f..k’, and I told him I don’t do such movies, I am sorry. People learn from me. What will they say if I dump my proverbs for such gutter language?

 

So you did not take that role?

No. I think I have rejected more scripts than anybody in the industry. I am a lover of linguistic decency. I am not into movies because if I don’t do it I will not survive; I enjoy doing it. So, you will not coerce me into doing things I know do not make sense.

 

I respect my good friend, Olu Jacobs, because his diction is impeccable. I haven’t also been seeing Bimbo Manuel. That man is a good actor. I have not seen him for long and I am not happy about it. Also, Keppy Ekpeyong also speaks well. I complimented him once and he went home and brought his daughter to greet me. He could not believe it. I told him people think I am the ultimate, but I told him that was untrue. ‘You people are doing very well and making me proud.’

 

Do you think Nollywood is on the right track?

Nollywood is incredible and is recording giant strides. Today, most of our actors, particularly the women like Stephanie Okereke, Omotola, Genevieve, Stella Damasus, Uche Jombo are involved in trans-Atlantic collaborative productions with our counterparts. They are making us proud. At one time or the other, they all played my daughters, and when I look at them, I feel some sense of satisfaction. I feel very happy. These girls are pushing our name and they are making the country proud. The men are doing their utmost, but I think in terms of international engagements, the women are doing much more than the men. Sometimes, the productions we do these days get too lengthy and boring. There is one that has been on my TV for over six hours and is still on.

 

But we have been doing very well. Many young actors now are making an impression. Unfortunately, I lost some of my colleagues over the last couple of years. I lost my friends, Ashley Nwosu, Sam Loco, Enebeli Elebuwa who grew up with me in the same room in my father’s house in Zaria. I lost Justus Esiri, who was with me in Things Fall Apart. I lost David Essien, who was my senior in broadcasting; and I lost Peter Eneh. I lost a lot of my colleagues and they belonged to the 60-70 age bracket. Death seems to be coming so fast, so I said, “God, permit me to hang on and represent these people now that they are all gone.” And He said, “Okay, go on.” So I’m here.

 

Are you afraid of death? Do you think about death?

Yes, I think about death. Why shouldn’t I? I think about death not because it is inevitable but because I would like to be prepared to meet my maker when the time comes. That’s why I am afraid of death. There is nobody alive who likes dying. Even if a man is 100 years, loses his sight, becomes a vegetable and inconveniences others, he still wouldn’t like to go. So, yes, as a normal human being, I think of death. Merely thinking of death encourages me to avoid excesses.

 

What are those excesses?

As a young man, I drank a lot. I could drink any bottle under the table. It was because of peer group pressure. We enjoyed diverting ourselves alcoholically. We were not given to subduing the womenfolk as a mark of accomplishment; we always got together to drink and smoke cigarettes. As we got older, I felt there is a need to cut down on all these excesses. I gave up smoking though I smoked for 21 years. I gave it up when I discovered it wasn’t serving any purpose.

 

You said you smoked for 21years to ward off anger, now that you have stopped smoking, how do you ward off anger?

I don’t get angry easily anymore; I used my Fabian philosophy to stop that.

 

What projects do you think can be incorporated into Nollywood to make it better?

If our people are serious about the 100 years centenary celebration, do a movie and invite people from the West, East, North and South. I don’t believe in this North-West, South-West region division. Let us do a movie on areas of discord within our collective existence; something we did to negate our values as a people. Do a production that will smoothen out the rough edges, and get all these regions together. There is no part of the Quran that says a Muslim cannot marry a Christian. No, but because the people are not allowed to acquire education, as a tabula rasa (blank slate) you can manipulate them. It becomes a must-buy from every Nigerian.

 

The least I can do is make suggestions. I have advised movie makers and told them let’s do something that will talk about us from 1914-2014. Look at our political evolution. We have had leaders who are trail blazers – people like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sardauna, Awolowo, Okotie-Eboh. These were the Nigerians who gave us this country. Do things on their lives; let us capture the values that they employed. Maybe I am too Utopian in my thoughts

 

Would you describe yourself as a fulfilled man?

Yes. What else am I going to ask from God? I have a brilliant wife and brilliant children. So, yes, I am (fulfilled).

 

You earlier talked about being alive in the days of the (civil) war. What do you remember of those days?

We suffered a lot from hunger and malnutrition. We were killed a lot. It’s not something I would like to remember, so let’s skip it please.

 

You have lost a few of your colleagues – your good friend, Justus Esiri particularly. What are those memories that you will never forget about him?

Oh, very good question! We always challenged each other whenever we were on set. The camera would come to you to take your lines and some people stumbled over their lines. Some people just smoothly presented theirs. And whenever Esiri presented his lines, he would look at me and say ‘Emenike, one take.’ So I started calling him ‘One take Esiri’. I went for his burial and took photographs with his family. There was one thing he (Esiri) enjoyed most, which was quarrelling and making up. I would quarrel with him during a movie production and take him in my car to eat Isi Ewu (goat head) and then we would get back into the car and continue the quarrel till we got back on set. I did Things Fall Apart with Esiri, and his death was a huge shock to me, because I did not even know that he was ill.

 

But you said you were close. Were you not communicating?

You see, there is one thing about actors: they hardly communicate as regularly as they ought to. For instance, I am in Lagos, there are so many people who would love to know where I am. Maybe a few days after, they would get to hear that I came to Lagos. Even if he was ill, I don’t think he was ill for too long before he died. And I hadn’t been on set with him before he died. I lost a good friend in him.

 

Most entertainers believe that Lagos is the hub of business in Nigeria. Why did you decide to stay back and reside in your hometown, Enugu?

You did not even ask me whether it is ideal to call Lagos a hub; it is not. You see, the people who sponsor the production are mainly in Onitsha; they have branches in Lagos. Check all the big names you know. But again, they took off from Lagos. I don’t have to come and settle in Lagos to make a living. When I was doing journalism, we were taught to go after our subjects; they shouldn’t come to you, and that is the mistake a lot of you younger ones make. They say ‘I want to interview you sir’ and when I tell them I am in Enugu, they say, ‘Ehh sir, when are you coming to Lagos?’ instead of them to come and catch me in my own habitat.

 

You are synonymous with playing the role of a tough man. Does this come into play in real life? Are you a tough father?

My kids would tell you that I am a very strict father. I don’t believe in doting on children. This is why all my sons graduated without creating problems for me. I promised each of them that when they graduate, I would buy them a car.

 

And did you fulfil that promise to each of your six sons?

Yes, I did. There are things you must do to encourage children and then create circumstances that would lead them away from areas of temptation. If a man is driving his own car, he drives at his pace; but there is something with peer group influence. If your friend brings out his father’s car and you get into it, there is a tendency to pursue excessively, trying to see who will outdo the other. Then you create problems, and I said instead of these children going out and getting into vehicles belonging to their friend’s fathers, you graduate with your own.

 

What are the things you remember about childhood?

I was very mischievous. (Bows his head for some seconds) We always sneaked into the European quarters to steal mangoes and carrots. We were pursued by the White people. We would even jump into the river to escape, but they would wait for us till we came out. I did very funny things. If you are not mischievous, you can’t be a good actor.

 

What are your hobbies?

I listen to classical music and watch television. I did boxing for sometime and I watch sports because I was in charge of sports for a long time. I read a lot, especially when I listen to my classical music in the background. If I am not reading materials within the country, I am going from one television station to the other.

 

In your years on earth, what would you say you have learnt from life?

Life has taught me to be useful to fellow human beings. It has taught me that we all belong to one family and that God is the head of the family, so we should at all times consider the feelings of other people. The first time you meet somebody, try to understand, because we are like fingers of one hand; the moment you cut off one finger, the whole hand feels the pain. Life has taught me to get along with people. You can hardly find me quarrelling with people. We can have intellectual disagreement but not market-women quarrels.

 

There are some women you usually are on set with – Patience Ozokwor, Rita Edochie, and others. What is your relationship with them?

What do you mean?

 

I mean how do you relate with them: are you close friends?

How could they be my enemies? They are very small children compared to me now, common. I love Patience a lot; we have known each other for a very long time. Rita is married to one of my younger brothers.

 

The first person I got quite close to was Liz Benson. She did a couple of movies with me, suddenly Liz left. I think she is a preacher now; then Clarion Chukwura-Abiola. And Ngozi Ezeonu is a sister of mine from the same local government. I don’t see them all the time, but whenever we come in for a production, they are very fond of me because they look at me as their big daddy, and I enjoy that role. Whenever I am in a production, people don’t quarrel....

 

Why don’t they quarrel?

Whenever there is a disagreement, they come to me and I listen to both sides; and when I listen, I tell the party at fault to apologise. Then they buy me kolanut. Well, this father figure has stuck with me for a very long time and I enjoy it.

 

What do you think of your son, Yul Edochie, as an actor?

Certainly I am proud of him; he impresses me. I am his worst critic. I watch his interpretations. He speaks good English – which is what I go for first. He has a very good communicative voice. His voice is authoritative. I think he is doing well. He is always working.

 

Is being your son not an advantage for him?

I don’t think so, because he was not the first to get into the industry. His elder brother, Linc, was there before him and regrettably didn’t make an impression, while he came and the industry embraced him with open arms – which Linc couldn’t achieve. So, if it was a question of being Pete Edochie’s son, then his senior would still be there.

 

If Linc once tried to act and wasn’t really successful at it, why then did you not try to stop your other son, Yul, when he showed interest in acting?

 

There is nothing my children will do that will make me stop them. Yul is here in Lagos; his immediate senior is an architect. The other one that came before Linc, Gene, came to the house few weeks ago with a pretty tall girl and said ‘Dad, this is the girl I want to marry. She is a Yoruba girl, and her father is a Muslim, while her mum is from Asaba, and she goes to a Catholic church with the mother’ and I said I had no objections and advised him to meet the father of the girl. If he approves of your relationship with his daughter, we’d follow you to them. I would not prevent any of my children from marrying or doing whatever they choose. I did not choose professions for them, but they always topped their classes when they were in school.

 

Is it true you were against Olu Jacobs acting as Igwe in Nollywood movies?

First of all, I didn’t say that. The people who direct those movies with Olu are not fair to him because they are not grounded in the culture; therefore they make him do the wrong things. People just want to destroy my friendship with Olu Jacobs. I never said that a Yoruba man should not play Igwe.

 

The last time I saw Olu in Asaba, I got down from the car and we hugged and tears came to our eyes and Olu said to me, ‘Pete, our colleagues are going.’ This was after Esiri died. Even as I am saying this now, it affects me. Olu has been my friend for God-knows-how-many-years. I was born and raised in the North. Olu had some orientation in Kano; he speaks Hausa. There are jokes that are peculiar only to two of us. The press sometimes likes to sensationalise what makes little or no sense. Sometimes they even argue about Pete Edochie earning more than Olu. These people are crazy. The people who direct most of the cultural films that feature Olu are not competent to direct him. Olu is an accomplished actor.

What the director tells you is what you do. Number one, in our own culture, you don’t hold the horse whip like they do in Yoruba land. Yoruba people hold it at the head while we Igbos hold it at the middle because we use that head for shaking hands. When Olu plays Igwe, they don’t tell him that, so he holds it like a Yoruba man – which is wrong.

 

Number two, if you are addressing your cabinet, you do not stand up and talk to them. As the Igwe, you sit down on the throne. Go and watch me play the Igwe; I am in perfect control. People don’t shout or haggle when I play the Igwe.

 

Number three, you do not leave the palace to go out and consult the native doctor as the Igwe. No; the native doctor is one of your subjects; you summon him to the palace to do his divination. These youngsters who direct Olu don’t know these things. So, when people watch these things, they come to me and say how can you be there and this man is killing our culture, and I tell them that it is not his fault. It is the fault of those who are directing him and they don’t know these things. Please, I want you to emphasise this because someone also told me he read it on the Internet that I said Yoruba men shouldn’t play Igwe. Why are we acting? I went to the North where I played Emir in a production. Olu speaks Hausa and he also did a production where he played a Hausa man. This is why we are actors for God’s sake. To credit me with that kind of statement is being unfair to me and my status. They want to knock heads so we will be at daggers drawn when we’ve been friends for over how many years. That’s nonsense.

 

Have you ever discussed it with him?

It’s not necessary; I don’t consider it a topic. People just wake up and cook up stories. Look, I was sitting in my house and someone phoned me that he just read on the Internet that I fell from a height of 50ft while shooting a film in Austria. People kept phoning my children here and there. But Pete Edochie doesn’t enter any airplane. I don’t fly.

 

You have a phobia for flying? What was the experience behind it?

Yes I do (have a phobia for flying). I went to Egypt in 1975, we flew out from Kano and we flew for hours until we got to the Sahara desert, and it was sand all through. Someone who was sitting next to me said “Eh, so if something happens to this plane and it crashes, nobody will know where we are.” From that moment, I developed that phobia. I am also claustrophobic. If you put me inside this house now, I won’t be able to stay. I was stuck in a lift once and it was a very harrowing experience. Also, if I stand on the ground and look at a very tall building, my head would begin to swing. I don’t like heights at all.

 

Being a one-time broadcaster and an actor, you must get a lot of female attention. How did you get to the point where you were able to ward off the advances of women?

I was a very handsome young man. As a young person, they used to call me Elvis Presley. I grew my hair long and I still do. I danced a lot. On television, I was reading the news and doing presentation, and I will be honest with you, girls liked me a great deal. I did not invest too much voltage in responding to their affections; but you see, at a stage, an old blind man from Sierra Leone shook hands with me when I was 21 and he said, “My son, women like you a lot. Go and get married before they confuse you.” This was in Aba in 1968 while the war was still on. We went to visit my friend who lived in that compound six months after the old man said this. We met the old man again; he felt my hand and said, “I have touched this hand before. And I told you to go and get married and women like you a lot. Are you married now?” That’s when I knew he was not kidding. So, the following year, 1969 at age 22, I got married. So, you see, I never really had the time to womanise. By 23, I had my first son; I had all my children early. The young man you see on television, Yul Edochie, who I hear is a very hot actor now, is the last of my children. My first son is 44 years old and I already have 10 grandchildren. I did not believe in ostentatious living and I wasn’t trying to impress anybody. I got married because I was convinced I ought to marry and I did. So, I was able to cope with the women. Even now, the women still fancy me a lot and sometimes I get amused because I am a very old person; what do they still fancy in this body? Life is funny.

 

You once said the women are the stronger sex. Have you ever been tempted by a woman?

Why not? Am I not a human being? I say to myself: you have a wife who honours you, Pete; why must you go out to mess yourself up? I have been married for 45 years and can say that my marriage is the longest standing marriage in Nollywood.