Yemi Solade Says He Started Acting Before Pete Edochie, Defends Yoruba Roots of Nollywood

Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has stirred debate within the film industry by declaring that he began his acting career before the iconic Pete Edochie.

Speaking during an episode of Father’s Path with Tope, Solade revealed that although Edochie is older in age, he is junior in terms of acting experience.

“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. I’ve spent 48 years in the industry and I’m still standing,” he said.

Solade also challenged the widely held belief that Nollywood’s roots lie outside the Yoruba sector, arguing that Yoruba filmmakers laid the groundwork for what became the modern Nigerian film industry.

He credited Ade Ajiboye (also known as Big Abass) as the producer of Nigeria’s first home video and praised Yoruba legends like Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan, and Dr. Ola Balogun for their pioneering roles.

“We had film, the celluloid and everything. Even when home video started, it was just an experiment,” he explained.

He recalled how early Yoruba productions were distributed on VHS tapes and placed on store shelves, allowing local shop owners to sell them directly to customers.

According to Solade, the lack of proper documentation within the Yoruba creative space allowed others to take credit for Nollywood’s beginnings.

“My people in the Yoruba setting didn’t document anything. That’s why others stepped in to claim they started it. Shut up! People like us are still here—we’ll remind you that you didn’t start anything,” he stated.

He added that veterans like Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko, who are still alive, can attest to the true origins of the industry from the Yoruba perspective.