‘I lost a brother, I will go to his grave’ — Pete Edochie remembers late Rawlings

Nigerian screen veteran Pete Edochie has opened up about his relationship with Ghana’s late former President Jerry John Rawlings, saying he hopes to visit his grave to honour his memory.

Edochie spoke warmly about Rawlings while discussing his current time in Ghana, where he said he intends to reconnect with several people he has known through his years of working in the country.

The actor recalled sharing a close relationship with the former Ghanaian president and said their last meeting took place during one of his visits to Ghana. The two reportedly spent hours together, with Rawlings later promising to visit Edochie in Nigeria.

That visit, however, never happened before Rawlings died.

For Edochie, the relationship was made even more remarkable by the physical similarities between them. He said people who saw photographs of the two often remarked that they looked like brothers.

Both men were also born in the same year, another coincidence the veteran actor said contributed to the special connection he felt with Rawlings.

Edochie recalled being stunned when he first heard reports of Rawlings’ death.

He said he had earlier been informed that Rawlings’ mother had died and, when he later contacted Ghana, he was told that the former president had also passed away.

The actor said he rejected the information because he thought there had been a misunderstanding.

After making another call and confirming the report, however, he realised that the news was true.

Edochie said Rawlings’ death affected him deeply because he considered him more than simply an acquaintance.

“I would like to go to his grave. I want to pay some respect to him when I go to his grave,” he said.

Beyond paying tribute to Rawlings, Edochie said his Ghana trip would also give him an opportunity to check on people from the country's entertainment industry.

He said he hopes to visit Ghanaian actor Emmanuel Armah, who he noted has been unwell for a long time.

He also expressed interest in meeting actress Moesha Boduong, who once portrayed his wife in a Ghanaian movie production.

Edochie described Ghana as a “second home,” pointing to his longstanding friendships, professional collaborations and personal connections in the country.