Nigerian movies: The best of Yul Edochie on Showmax

Son of Nollywood’s great Pete Edochie, Yul Edochie had big shoes to fill when he decided on acting. He has, however, distanced himself from the pressure to surpass his father’s legendary career. “It is not my plan to fill my father’s shoes,” he told Pulse. “I have just set out to play my part; I have always loved acting and mimicking people.”

But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: Yul embodies the senior Edochie’s strong screen presence, even though his acting is flavoured with gifts that make him his own man. A deep voice speaks authority plus an uncanny ability to deliver hilarity while being serious.

Having spent over 15 years in the industry, Edochie witnessed the transition of mainstream Nollywood from the Asaba-based Home Video industry to the Lagos-based cinema industry. But he has refused to embrace Lagos fully, instead, sticking with the surviving Asaba branch of Nollywood.

Here are some of Yul Edochie’s best Nigerian movies available to watch online with Showmax.

The Billionaires

A classic Nollywood tale on the futility of vanity. A son of the land with ill-gotten money moves to abolish tradition in his quest for the throne but meets a stumbling block when the children of the rightful heir start flexing their own blood money. Watch it now.

Why you should watch: It’s the type of story that made Nollywood famous: a cautionary tale on the evils of money and the importance of upholding traditional values.

Who’s in it: Yul Edochie, Chinedu Ikedezie, Osita Iheme.

Fada Fada

Asaba Nollywood has a habit of borrowing its titles from pop culture and Fada Fada is a catchphrase made famous by Igbo rapper Phyno. The film follows Eze, a smart, unemployed man who deceives his naïve kinsmen into investing in an online business that’s going to make him so wealthy he will change their community, but it is all a hoax. Watch it online.

Why you should watch: It is ridiculously funny, and you need to meet the film’s villain, Mr Maga.

Who’s in it: Yul Edochie, Chizzy Alichie, Nkechi, Nweje, Chris Okorondu.

Nobody Ugly

“Nobody ugly” is an idiomatic expression made famous by afro-pop group P-Square that means you are only ugly when you’re poor; once money enters, your true beauty will manifest. The film follows Uzor, who sacrifices his mother for money and frames his father for the murder. Watch it on Showmax.

Why you should watch: Another cautionary tale about the pursuit of wealth at all costs.

Who’s in it: Yul Edochie, Harry B Anyanwu, Rex Nosa, Jonathan Gana Gana.

Kachi: My Village Love

A pretty girl is forced to choose between two men who have been kind to her and her family when things were tough: her sweet but poor boyfriend Nelson and the equally sweet but more prosperous Eric. Watch it here.

Why you should watch: We don’t often get a sweet Yul, and as Eric, he transitions from an arrogant misogynist to a charming prince straight from Disneyland.

Who’s in it: Yul Edochie, Onny Michael, Luchy Donalds, Nkechi Nweje.

Yul Edochie Collection on Showmax

Watch Yul Edochie in all his brilliance in The Billionaires, Fada Fada, Nobody Ugly, Kachi: My Village Love, Money Pass Money, 10 Years Later, The Ancestors, and The Grave in the Yul Edochie collection.