Veteran Nigerian Actor, Pete Edochie has dismissed fresh rumours about his death, describing the claims as false and recurring.
The 78-year-old reacted after reports circulated online alleging that he had been rushed to hospital and died, with claims that his son Uche Edochie confirmed the news on social media.
Speaking to newsmen in a telephone conversation, Pete denied the reports and said he remains alive.
“I’m alive and will die when my maker calls me home.”
Pete said the rumours were not new, noting that similar false reports about his death have surfaced several times over the years. He explained that he has repeatedly had to respond to such claims.
“I have been killed about seven times. There was a time they said I travelled abroad and died there. At other times, they said that the plane I boarded from Enugu to Ethiopia suddenly crashed and I didn’t survive. There was also a day, my wife woke up to prepare for church service, when her telephone rang and the caller said he heard that I passed away this morning. Last year, somebody from Ghana alleged that Pete Edochie was already in the grave.
“However, there was something late Nnamdi Azikwe thought me when I interviewed him. He said that anybody who’s wishing you death will die before you. All those people that wished Zik death died before him. That was what I learnt from Zik. On the 7th of March, I will be 79. My father died at 96, so we have longevity in my family,” Pete Edoche said.
The actor, known for his roles in several classic Nollywood productions and for portraying the character Ebubedike, has remained active in the film industry for decades. He is a recipient of the Member of the Order of the Niger honour and has also received the AMVCA Industry Merit Award in recognition of his contribution to Nigerian cinema.