Bob-Manuel Udokwu, Nollywood legend, creative industry icon, and public servant to three governors of Anambra State, sat down with Chude Jideonwo the host of the viral show #WithChude and chair of Fourthmainland Creator Fund, to reflect on a career that helped define an industry, clarify the headlines that have trailed him, and open up about the grief that redefined him. From starring in the first three films that gave Nollywood its shape to navigating life in the public eye while trying to shield the people he loves, Udokwu’s conversation with Jideonwo was unfiltered, reflective, and achingly human.
The interview addressed one of the most persistent misinterpretations in recent Nollywood discourse: Udokwu’s comments about Pete Edochie. With clarity and respect, he set the record straight. “I respect Pete Edochie too much to speak against him,” he said. “But sometimes, you must keep the record straight for clarity.” It was a moment that revealed not just the weight of being misquoted, but the cost of having your words reinterpreted in an industry where legacy and respect are everything. Beyond the headlines, Udokwu spoke about typecasting, about being ahead of structure when Nollywood was still finding its footing, and about what it means to refuse to be boxed, even when the industry insists on it. He also reflected on his role in To Adaego With Love, a new project rooted in Southeast storytelling that he believes every Nigerian should see.
But it was in the quieter, more personal moments of the conversation that Udokwu revealed the depth of what fame has cost him. He spoke about his daughter being punished simply because her father is known. “Fame is one thing,” he said. “Watching your child pay for it is another.” And then, with a vulnerability that few public figures allow themselves, he opened up about losing both of his parents within three years, his mother’s death hitting hardest. “My mother passed unexpectedly. The pain was deep because my relationship with my mother was deeper than what she had with my siblings.” In that moment, the legend became a son again. And in sharing that grief with Chude, Bob-Manuel Udokwu reminded us that even the architects of an industry are still, at their core, deeply and beautifully human.
WATCH EPISODE: https://vimeo.com/1164603645
