Respected Nollywood figure Yemi Solade has sparked conversation online after claiming he began his acting journey before the legendary Pete Edochie. The veteran Yoruba actor made this revelation in a trending video circulating on social media. He shared in detail how his acting career began, challenging widely held beliefs about the origins of Nollywood. “I Started Acting Before Pete Edochie,” Says Yemi Solade Speaking confidently in the video, Yemi Solade explained that although Pete Edochie is older in age, he (Solade) actually entered the movie scene earlier. According to him: “I am senior to Pete Edochie in the movie industry, even though he is older than I am. My acting career began in 1977, when I was just 17 years old. That makes it 48 years since I started, and I’m still active.” He also addressed ongoing debates regarding the history of Nollywood, especially those suggesting that the industry began with the English-speaking sector. Solade argued that the Yoruba film industry had been active long before Nollywood became a recognized term but lacked the media recognition and documentation to back its legacy. “The Yoruba side was already deeply involved in acting, but we didn’t document things like the English-speaking part of the industry. That’s why they’re claiming ownership of Nollywood.” Yemi Solade Mentions Nigeria’s First Home Video Producer While recounting the early days of Nigeria’s film scene, Solade paid tribute to Ade Ajiboye, popularly known as Big Abass, describing him as the pioneer of the Nigerian home video era: “Ade Ajiboye, a.k.a. Big Abass, was the first Nigerian to create a home video. The others were simply favored by media presence, while we in the Yoruba industry were acting without the same visibility.” The actor’s passionate comments have since stirred debate online, especially among fans of both Yoruba cinema and English Nollywood. Many are now revisiting the historical contributions of early actors across Nigeria’s diverse film sectors.
