Veteran actor, Pete Edochie opens up on health struggles, says he doesn’t want to be a burden when ‘it’s time to go’

Veteran Nollywood actor Pete Edochie has opened up about his recent health struggles, revealing that he currently has difficulty walking and sometimes experiences swelling in parts of his body.

• Pete Edochie has opened up about his recent health struggles, revealing that he currently has difficulty walking.

• The veteran actor said parts of his body, including his hands and legs, sometimes swell before returning to normal.

• Pete Edochie said he continues to pray for his recovery and asks God not to let him become a burden to those around him.

The 79-year-old actor spoke about his health in Ghana while visiting another ailing actor, Emmanuel Armah. 

“Sitting down here, I am not very well myself. Walking is a problem for now but I still have hope that I will recover myself,” he said.

Edochie also revealed that he sometimes wakes up to find parts of his body swollen, although the swelling eventually subsides.

“Sometimes, I get up, and some parts of my body are swollen, then it goes down after some time, like my hand and leg are now.'

Despite his health challenges, the veteran actor said he remains hopeful about his recovery. He also shared a heartfelt prayer about how he wants his final moments to be handled when his time eventually comes.

“I just keep asking God, you are the author and finisher of life, whenever it’s time to go, just take me. Don’t let me bother the people around me,” Edochie said.

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Known for his commanding presence and distinctive delivery, Edochie remains one of Nollywood’s most recognisable veteran actors, with a career spanning several decades.

His comments come against the backdrop of a difficult period for Nollywood, which has lost several actors across generations in 2026.

Between January and August, the industry recorded the deaths of actors including Ajara Lasisi, Alexx Ekubo, Patrick Okoye, Feso Oyewole, Temitope Osoba, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo and others.

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The losses cut across both veteran and younger generations of actors.