Veteran actor Pete Edochie has revealed why men from the eastern region of Nigeria (the Igbo) often struggle to succeed in politics.
The 78-year-old screen legend made this known in a viral video excerpt from his interview on Afia TV, posted on the platform’s YouTube page on 17 July.
Edochie, best known for his iconic portrayal of ‘Okonkwo’ in the Nigerian Television Authority’s adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s classic novel ‘Things Fall Apart’, attributed the political challenges faced by Igbo men to their profound intolerance for treachery.
The actor who began his career as a broadcaster with the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) noted, “An Igbo man isn’t a good politician, and I’ll tell you why. People who are used to politics or the treachery that characterises politics can overlook many things. But the Igbo man is not constituted to condone treachery a second time.
“If you hurt the Igbo man once in politics, that is it; he will never allow you to hurt him again. He will recoil into himself and stay there. That’s the average Igbo man.”
Edochie attributed this to Igbo culture, which values loyalty and trust.
He observed that while these values are admirable, they can sometimes hinder the political ambitions of Igbo politicians, who may find it challenging to sustain strategic alliances in the ruthless arena of politics.
Igbo man isn’t constituted to sustain political treachery, you know, all those don’t worry, well, it’s not how it is for an Igbo man. When you exhibit treachery in your involvement with an Igbo man, they cut you off. That’s it”, he said.
The veteran actor, known for his roles in films such as Heavy Battle, Test Your Heart, and Greatest Harvest, never ventured into politics.
However, his son, Yul, did.
This newspaper reported in 2017 that Yul emerged as the Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC) governorship candidate for the Anambra State election.
He secured the party’s ticket unopposed during the primary held in Awka, buoyed by his social media campaign themed #TheLastBusStop, in which he pledged to transform governance if elected.
Despite the momentum, Yul suffered a resounding defeat, losing by a wide margin to the then-incumbent governor, Willie Obiano.
