Pete Edochie in Ghana, speaks on health challenges

Veteran Nollywood actor Pete Edochie has spoken on his health condition, saying, “I’m not very well myself.”

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The 79-year-old actor disclosed this while visiting his longtime friend, Ghanaian actor Emmanuel Armah, who has battled severe health challenges for almost 11 years in Accra.

The visit was part of Edochie’s engagements in Ghana, where he attended the launch of the Pete Edochie Legacy Project, an initiative established to honour his decades of contributions to African cinema, culture and storytelling.

The project’s launch was held as part of Accra Legacy Week, which celebrates individuals whose careers and influence have made significant contributions to African culture and the creative sector.

In a viral video on Friday, Edochie spoke about his condition and expressed hope that he would recover despite the physical difficulties he currently faces.

“I’m not very well myself. I’m not. Walking is a problem for me now, but I still have hope that I will recover, you know. Sometimes I get up, and parts of my body are swollen.

“And then after some time they go down again, like my hand is swollen and now my leg is. I just keep asking God, ‘You are the author of life’”, said the veteran actor.

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Burden

Edochie said his prayer was that his health challenges would never make him a burden to his family.

The actor said: “Whenever you feel it is time for me to go, just take me. Don’t let me bother the people who are around me. Just take me.”

The Anambra-born actor prayed for Armah’s speedy recovery and also offered financial assistance towards his treatment.

“Emma, I believe that you will recover someday. You will. By the grace of God, Emma, you will recover.”

Armah’s wife speaks

Responding to Edochie’s question about her husband’s prolonged illness, Stella said Armah had been battling the condition for almost 11 years.

She explained that the veteran actor’s health problems started when he was in the United States for work, while she was in Ghana.

According to her, Armah was unaware that he had high blood pressure, and his cholesterol levels had also increased, GhanaWeb reported on Thursday.

“He was working in the US when it happened. He had high blood pressure he did not know, and the cholesterol also went high. That was how the whole thing started. | wasn’t there by then; I was in Ghana, and this is what they told me.”

Stella also told Edochie that doctors were optimistic about the actor’s recovery, although he continues to experience pain across his body and has been reluctant to undergo physiotherapy.

She said she recently made arrangements for him to begin physiotherapy in Kasoa, where he is now receiving regular treatment.

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“Doctors are saying he could get better, but you know him, he listens to himself. The whole body is aching, and he does not allow physiotherapy. But now | sent him to a physiotherapist at Kasoa, so they are working on him. They massage him every day,” she noted.

Stella added that despite her husband’s condition, he still remembers many people he worked closely with during his career and often asks about them.

“He remembers everything. He mentions their name. Sometimes he would call and ask if this person is around, and would say, ‘Have you been hearing from this person?’ Sometimes he will ask a lot of questions, and sometimes he asks me if I don’t hear from this particular person, he can take me to the person.”