Veteran Nollywood actor, Bob-Manuel Udokwu, has denied claims that he disrespected fellow legend Pete Edochie, insisting that his words were twisted and misquoted.

The actor, who also serves as the Special Adviser on Entertainment, Leisure, and Tourism to Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, clarified the issue in an interview with NollyNow.

According to Udokwu, during a recent podcast interview, he only stated that he began acting in Nollywood before Pete Edochie, but never said Edochie was “parading himself and deceiving others” as the oldest actor.

He explained that his comments were specifically about modern Nollywood, pointing out that while Edochie featured in classics like Things Fall Apart, that production came before the Nollywood era officially began.

“I was misrepresented. That’s a very wrong thing for them to do. I never said that. All I said was that if you are referring to Nollywood, I started acting before Pete Edochie. He may have started acting before me, like in Things Fall Apart, but the TV series was not part of Nollywood,” Udokwu said.

He further recalled that other actors, such as Kanayo O. Kanayo, had made similar distinctions in the past.

Udokwu also highlighted his roles in Checkmate and When the Sun Sets, adding that while those projects came before Nollywood was formally recognized, they don’t erase the fact that Edochie is his elder.

“Pete Edochie is older than me by far. In our African culture, we don’t disrespect our elders. I will never disrespect Pete Edochie,” he emphasized.

With this clarification, Udokwu expressed admiration for Edochie’s legacy and stressed the need to maintain respect within the industry.