Veteran Nollywood actor Chief Pete Edochie says he hopes to visit the grave of former Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings during his current stay in Ghana to pay his respects to his late friend.

The actor, who arrived in Ghana on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, for the Accra Legacy Week, said returning to the country without being able to meet Mr Rawlings again has been emotionally difficult.

Edochie recalled his last meeting with the former president, saying the two spent time together discussing a number of issues, with Mr Rawlings expressing an intention to visit Nigeria.

“I tell you the truth, I’m sad. You know, the last time I was in Ghana, I visited him. We had a very good time together. We discussed extensively, and he promised me he was going to come to Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Rawlings died on November 12, 2020, a development Edochie said he initially struggled to believe when he first received the news.

“When I heard that the mother had died, I phoned Ghana and the person I got was telling me that Rawlings had died. I said, you’re mad,” he recalled.

The veteran actor said he later described the former president as a brother when speaking about his death.

“When people came to interview me for my comments on him, I said, well, I lost a brother, but okay, that’s the way God wants it,” he said.

Edochie also reflected on the close physical resemblance between himself and the former Ghanaian leader, saying photographs of the two together generated considerable attention in Nigeria.

“When I got to Nigeria, a lot of people had seen the photograph of the two of us and they were telling me, look, this man is your brother actually,” he said.

The two also shared the same birth year. Edochie was born in March 1947, while Mr Rawlings was born in June of the same year.

Speaking about his current visit, Edochie said he would like to make time to visit Mr Rawlings’ final resting place and honour his memory.

“If I have time, depending on my producer, I would like to go to his grave. I want to pay some respect to him when I go to his grave,” he said.

Edochie is in Ghana for the Accra Legacy Week, where the Legacy Project is celebrating his contribution to African cinema, storytelling and culture while documenting his experiences for future generations.

He is among several Nigerian film personalities participating in the event, including Destiny Etiko, Mike Ezuruonye, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Francis Odega and Patience Ozokwor.