By Fasuyi Tolulope Samuel
Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has stirred up fresh conversation in the Nigerian film industry with his bold claim that, despite being younger in age, he started his acting career before the legendary Pete Edochie.
Speaking during a recent episode of Father’s Path with Tope, Solade reflected on his decades-long journey in the Yoruba segment of Nollywood and emphasized the often-overlooked contributions of Yoruba pioneers to Nigeria’s film history.
“I’m senior to Pete Edochie. I started acting before him, though he’s older than me,” Solade stated. “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 went on to challenge widely accepted narratives about the origins of Nollywood, stressing that the Yoruba film sector had already laid a strong foundation before the explosion of home videos in the 1990s.
He credited the late Ade Ajiboye, popularly known as Big Abass, as the producer of Nigeria’s first home video, and honored other Yoruba legends like Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan, and Dr. Ola Balogun for their early impact on the industry.
“We had film, the celluloid and everything… Even when home video was starting, it was just an experiment,” he said.
Recalling the early days of Yoruba filmmaking, Solade explained how performances were recorded using camcorders and sold on VHS cassettes through bookstores and local shops.
“So, you as a shop owner would introduce the cassette for people to buy; it all started like that,” he narrated.
He also expressed disappointment at the lack of proper documentation by Yoruba filmmakers, which he believes has allowed others to claim credit for starting Nollywood.
“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,” Solade said firmly.
He concluded by urging the public to recognize the contributions of still-active Yoruba film veterans such as Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko, who, according to him, can attest to the true beginnings of Nigerian cinema.
