Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has stirred discussion in the film industry by claiming he started his acting career before the legendary Pete Edochie.
Speaking on a recent episode of Father’s Path with Tope, Solade recounted his journey through the Yoruba arm of Nollywood and reflected on the industry’s early days.
According to him, although Edochie is older in age, he has less professional acting experience than he does
He declared; “I’m senior to Pete Edochie. I started acting before him, though he’s older than me. I was 17 in 1977 when I represented Nigeria as the youngest actor, and I’ve done 48 years in the industry and still standing.”
Solade also tackled what he called a long-standing misconception about Nollywood’s origins. He emphasized that the Yoruba sector of the industry has a deep-rooted legacy that is often overlooked in mainstream Nollywood stories due to poor early documentation.
He highlighted Ade Ajiboye (popularly known as Big Abass) as the producer of Nigeria’s first home video and acknowledged Yoruba trailblazers such as Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan, and filmmaker Dr. Ola Balogun for their pioneering roles.
He explained; “We had film, the celluloid and everything… Even when home video was starting, it was just an experiment.”
Solade recalled how, in the early days of Yoruba filmmaking, performances were recorded using camcorders and sold as cassettes displayed on bookshelves in local stores.
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
“So, you as a shop owner, would introduce the cassette for people to buy; it all started like that,” he said.
The actor voiced his frustration over the lack of recognition for Yoruba creatives, attributing it to their inability to properly document and promote their work, unlike other parts of the industry.
“My people in the Yoruba setting didn’t document anything; that was why the other people in the industry just stepped in to say they started it. ‘Hey shut up’; when people like us are here, we will let you know you didn’t start anything,” he said emphatically.
He further pointed out that veterans like Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko, who are still alive and active, can attest to the early groundwork laid by the Yoruba film community.
Watch video below
Reactions as Yemi Solade claims to senior Pete Edochie
morafa_rocks : You have a good reputation no doubt and you have gotten your flowers, but he is still more recognized than you in the industry, he’s a legend in nollywood.
ogunsphilip1 : “Any man who must say, I am the king is no true king”-Tywin Lannister.
kazeemadegboyegakola: I’m senior to Pete Edochie in the industry, I started acting before him. But he is older than me. Simple analysis . Fact. 💯✅.
cyude : Nollywood is Nollywood it is the Nigeria movie industry. There is nothing like Igbo nollywod, Yoruba nollywood or Hausa nollywood, nollywood is Nollywood. What I have noticed about Nigerians is that y’all are just too tribalistic. You don’t love yourselves. The divide and conquer mentality is still dominant in us. Tufiaaaa! If Nollywood began from the western region of Nigeria maximum respect to the Nigerians that started it then, even though they didn’t document what they were doing properly but it is a breath of fresh air to know that the idea even came from Nigerians. To the ones that made the move to document it and commence the commercialisation of the industry to what it is now kudos to everyone for a job well done. We still have a bigger task ahead of us to take Nollywood to the highest level. As long as we are seeing Nollywood from a tribalistic angle things like what is happening in the comment section
will keep happening. The man is right that before the likes of Pete Edochie in the industry a lot of veterans who some of us don’t know have actually been on the scene. Yes and that’s on period. It was the advent of movies like Things fall apart and other body of work done during that period that Nigerians started picking interest in home movie entertainment. The likes of Pa Olu Jacobs was killing it even in Hollywood at the time. Everyone has contributed immensely in their time to build this great industry. What we should be thinking about now is how to collectively take it to the next level. This shouldn’t spark any form of tribal sentiments please! What I am seeing in the comment section is really heartbreaking. The kind of mindset we have in this country is truly threatening the core of this nationhood. I’m really sad! 🤦🏾.
veevogee: But he’s the one we all know as being a LEGEND. No be who first call police dey win case. Am I communicating???
mcreo_ : Nollywood started from the West, he could be right. Respect to Daddy Peter, that he’s old doesn’t mean he’s stayed longer in the industry than Uncle Yemi. Instead of arguing why not make research.
keneofficial: Maybe he doesn’t know when sir Pete started acting. How old was he when he acted Okonkwo in things fall apart. Or when he was acting at ABS.
pitakwa1 : You might be right, sir. But your choice of words! No! Let’s stop the division already!
