Veteran Nigerian actor Yemi Solade has stirred controversy on social media with a recent statement claiming he began acting before legendary Nollywood icon Pete Edochie.
In a video making rounds online, Solade reflected on his journey in the film industry, asserting that he is professionally older than Edochie, despite being younger in age.
“I’m a senior to Pete Edochie, though he is older than me, but I started acting before him,” Solade declared. “I began acting in 1977 when I was just 17 years old, making me Nigeria’s youngest actor at the time. I have now done 48 years in the industry and I’m still standing.”
Addressing a long-running debate about the origins of Nollywood, Solade dismissed the popular belief that the English-speaking sector started the Nigerian movie industry. He argued that the Yoruba movie industry had been active long before but lacked proper media documentation.
“Ade Ajiboye ‘Big Abass’ is the first Nigerian to make a home video,” he added. “They claimed to have started Nollywood because they romance the media, while the Yoruba section was just acting without proper documentation.”
His remarks have since sparked widespread discussion among fans and stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry, with many debating the historical roots and key pioneers of Nollywood.
