Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has revealed that he began his acting career before renowned actor Pete Edochie, challenging common assumptions about Nollywood’s early pioneers.
Solade made this statement during a recent episode of the show Father’s Path with Tope, where he reflected on his journey in the Yoruba film industry.
According to the actor, the Yoruba section of Nollywood was already thriving creatively but lagged in documentation and distribution. He noted that while other sectors of the industry were recording their productions on cassettes and promoting them widely, Yoruba filmmakers were more focused on the craft than the marketing.
Solade clarified that the late entry into formal documentation should not be mistaken for a late start in the industry. He emphasized that the Yoruba film space had been active long before it gained mainstream attention, and actors from that sector deserve recognition for their early contributions.
His remarks have stirred discussion among fans and colleagues about the true timeline and foundations of the Nigerian film industry.
He said, “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,”
“The first Nigerian, Ade Ajiboye ‘Big Abass’, the first home video in this country. We’ve been doing it, there was film, the celluloid and everything. We had the likes of Ogundes, we had Baba Salas, we had Ade Afolayans, Kunle’s father; we had Dr Ola Balogun, who is still around, and so many other big names, most of them are gone now.
“Even when home video was starting, it was just an experiment that was carried out by the likes of Muyideen Alade Aromire. We were all doing this drama, and then they just brought this camcorder, let’s record what we are doin,g which was documented in a cassette and was arranged in bookshelves. So, you as a shop owner, would introduce the cassette for people to buy; it all started like that.”
Popular Nollywood actor, Yemi Solade, has disclosed that he started acting before veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie.
Solade said this while sharing experience and history on his journey in the Yoruba section of the industry after his episode on a show called ‘Father’s Path with Tope’.
“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,” he said.
The actor explained how other sections within Nollywood had been documenting their works in cassettes and advertising them for other people to purchase.
According to him, that the Yoruba industry did not start documentation earlier does not mean others should take credit for starting the Nollywood industry.
He said, “The first Nigerian, Ade Ajiboye ‘Big Abass’, the first home video in this country. We’ve been doing it, there was film, the celluloid and everything. We had the likes of Ogundes, we had Baba Salas, we had Ade Afolayans, Kunle’s father; we had Dr Ola Balogun, who is still around, and so many other big names, most of them are gone now.
“Even when home video was starting, it was just an experiment that was carried out by the likes of Muyideen Alade Aromire. We were all doing this drama, and then they just brought this camcorder, let’s record what we are doin,g which was documented in a cassette and was arranged in bookshelves. So, you as a shop owner, would introduce the cassette for people to buy; it all started like that.”
He further explained how the Yoruba industry didn’t document their work earlier, which made others think they’ve been in the game for long.
“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.
“They could say that because they romance the media but the Yoruba industry was just acting. Most of them weren’t schooled; they didn’t know anything about the media, and they enjoyed themselves. Adebayo Salami is alive; he will tell you a deeper story that I’m telling you, he’s older than me. Jide Kosoko is alive, we all work together.”
Watch the video below;
‘I am senior to Pete Edochie in the movie industry. I’m older than him’ pic.twitter.com/1kzo51Pja8
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) July 23, 2025