Stephen Alajemba, also known as Uwaezuoke, a veteran Nollywood actor, has asserted that Pete Edochie is the only actor who is senior to him in terms of years spent in the Nigerian movie industry.
While expressing his respect for the iconic actor from ‘Things Fall Apart’, Alajemba credited the title of the father of Nollywood to the late Solomon Eze, also known as Mike Orihedịmma.
According to the thespian, Orihedịmma played a pioneering role in Igbo movies and, by extension, the establishment of Nollywood.
During a recent interview with the popular YouTuber Yan Kontent Factory, Alajemba stated, “When you talk about Igbo movie industry, Mike Orihedịmma is the first person to be mentioned. He is the one that trained most of the people you see acting today. He was emulated by Kenneth Nnebue and Pauloo in writing ‘Living In Bondage’.”
Alajemba further emphasized, “When it comes to the movie industry, the only person I respect is Pete Edochie. All the people in the movie industry today, anybody that says he is older than me in the industry, should tell us the first movie he did and what year it came out. It is only Pete Edochie that I can say that he is older than me because of Things Fall Apart.”