I respect Pete very much, but what I said were facts

Actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu has addressed comments linked to veteran actor Pete Edochie, saying his intention was never to disrespect him but to correct what he considers a misunderstanding.

Speaking in an interview with Chude Jideonwo, monitored by MyNewsh, Bob-Manuel said, “Pete Edochie is a man I respect a lot, in terms of his age, his art, his history and what he stands for. I cannot say anything derogatory about him.”

He explained that concerns arose in the East after a clip circulated online. According to him, the original context of his statement was removed.

“A blogger took away the essence,” he said, noting that prominent individuals called him for clarification.

At the centre of the debate was his claim that, at a certain time, “there was no industry” in the way Nollywood is understood today.

“Go to the dictionary and get the meaning of industry,” he said. “When we started, there was nothing like an industry.”

Bob-Manuel, who studied Theatre Arts, said his point was historical, not personal.

He referenced early Nigerian theatre scholars and practitioners to support his view that structured film production and distribution came later.

“Yes, Pete and others had been acting,” he said. “But when it came to Nollywood as a film industry, some of us were there at the beginning. That does not negate who they are or what they stand for.”