Yemi Solade, a respected Nollywood actor, has stirred reactions after stating that he began his acting journey before the iconic Pete Edochie. Speaking during a recent episode of Father’s Path with Tope, Solade reflected on his early career and the overlooked contributions of the Yoruba film community to Nollywood.
Solade explained that while Edochie may be older in age, he is junior in acting experience. “I’m older in the craft. I began acting at 17 in 1977 when I represented Nigeria as the youngest actor,” he said, emphasizing his nearly five-decade career.
He criticized the widespread belief that Nollywood began with English-language films, highlighting that the Yoruba sector had a thriving film scene that was poorly documented. According to Solade, the Yoruba film pioneers—such as Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan, and Dr. Ola Balogun—laid the groundwork for what would become Nollywood, even experimenting with home videos before it became mainstream.
Solade recalled how Yoruba filmmakers initially recorded their works on camcorders, distributing them on cassettes in shops before the term “Nollywood” even existed.
He lamented the lack of documentation within the Yoruba film industry, which he believes led to others claiming to have started Nollywood. “We didn’t archive our history. That’s why others are now claiming they began it. But we’re still here to set the record straight,” he declared.
The actor also pointed out that veterans like Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko can attest to the deep roots of Yoruba filmmaking in Nigeria’s entertainment history.