Josephine
Edochie
Josephine Edochie is a lawyer from Anambra State and the woman behind one of the longest marriages in Nigerian entertainment. Pete Edochie wife Josephine is a barrister, entrepreneur and TV presenter who married the Nollywood legend in 1969. Together they raised six children, including actors Yul and Linc Edochie. Pete calls her “my Queen, Chief Barrister Mrs Josephine Edochie.”
| Nationality | Nigerian |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Lawyer, Entrepreneur |
| State of Origin | Anambra State |
| Husband | Pete Edochie |
| Children | Six, including Yul Edochie and Linc Edochie |
| Known for | Wife of Pete Edochie |
Biography
Josephine was born on 2 December in Anambra State, according to Legit.ng’s 2022 profile of the Edochie family. She studied law and earned a bachelor’s degree. She later practised as a lawyer, and her husband uses the title “Chief Barrister” when he writes about her.
Before and alongside the law, she worked in broadcasting. Legit.ng reports that she and Pete met at a broadcasting station where they both worked, and that they started dating from there. Pete spent years in broadcasting himself before he became a full-time actor.
Career
Josephine’s work is law and business. Legit.ng describes her as a lawyer, an entrepreneur and a TV presenter. Her husband’s own words give the best picture of how she fits into his career. In an interview with Chude Jideonwo on With Chude in August 2023, Pete said he came home and told her his work was over. She hugged him, bought him a bottle of beer and said, as he tells it, that he had always wanted to be an actor and the time had come.
That moment led to his role as Okonkwo in the NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart in 1987. Pete has since been honoured with the Order of the Niger.
Marriage to Pete Edochie
Josephine and Pete married in 1969. They marked their 53rd anniversary on 1 October 2022 with a thanksgiving service at a church in Enugu, then a party their children hosted. Daily Trust reported that Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was among the guests. Pete wrote: “53 years of Marital Bliss with my Queen, Chief Barrister Mrs Josephine Edochie.”
Pete speaks about the marriage often. In the With Chude interview he said, “I have lived with this woman for the past 53 years.” In July 2025 he told an interviewer he had been married for 56 years. At his Legacy Gala in Accra in October 2026, he said, “I married early. I’ve been married for 57 years.”
His reasons for staying married are simple. He told Chude Jideonwo that a marriage vow is “for better for worse, not for better for us.” He added, “Women don’t distract me,” in Accra.
Children
Josephine and Pete have six children, five sons and one daughter. Pete’s anniversary post names them as Leo, Adam, Linc, Jean, Yul and Eva. Eva is the only daughter. Legit.ng lists two of the sons as Uche and Gene instead of Adam and Jean.
Two of the sons followed their father into film. Yul Edochie is an actor, director and politician, and his second marriage made headlines in 2022. Linc Edochie is also an actor. Legit.ng counts more than ten grandchildren.
Family Matters
Yul’s announcement in April 2022 that he had taken a second wife drew his father into the public conversation. Speaking to Chude Jideonwo in August 2023, Pete answered with a proverb: “He who goes to the farm and gets ants-infested firewood shouldn’t be surprised when lizards start paying him a visit.”
Many readers mix up the Edochie women. Rita Edochie, the actress, is not Pete’s wife. She is married to Tony Edochie, Pete’s younger brother.
Timeline
1969: Josephine marries Pete Edochie.
1987: Pete plays Okonkwo in the NTA adaptation of Things Fall Apart.
2003: Pete receives the Order of the Niger from President Olusegun Obasanjo.
2022: The couple mark their 53rd anniversary on 1 October in Enugu.
2023: Pete speaks about his marriage and his family on With Chude in August.
2025: Pete says in July that he has been married for 56 years.
2026: Pete says in October that he has been married for 57 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pete Edochie’s wife?
Pete’s wife is Josephine Edochie, a lawyer from Anambra State. They married in 1969.
How many children do Josephine and Pete Edochie have?
They have six children, five sons and one daughter. Yul and Linc are the two who became actors.
Is Rita Edochie married to Pete Edochie?
No. Rita Edochie is married to Tony Edochie, Pete’s younger brother.
How long have Pete and Josephine Edochie been married?
They married in 1969, so the marriage is in its 57th year. Pete said so himself in October 2026.
What does Josephine Edochie do?
She is a lawyer and entrepreneur and has worked as a TV presenter.
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