Veteran Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has sparked conversation in the film industry after asserting that he began his acting career before legendary actor Pete Edochie.
Speaking during a recent episode of Father's Path with Tope, Solade shared details about his journey through the Yoruba segment of Nollywood and shed light on the industry's origins.
According to Solade, while Edochie may be older, he is junior in professional 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, and I've done 48 years in the industry and still standing," he declared.
Solade also addressed what he described as a persistent misconception about the origins of Nollywood. He pointed out that the Yoruba arm of the industry has a rich legacy, which, due to a lack of early documentation, has often gone uncredited in mainstream Nollywood narratives.
He cited Ade Ajiboye (aka Big Abass) as the producer of the first home video in Nigeria and credited other Yoruba pioneers like Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan, and filmmaker Dr. Ola Balogun for their foundational contributions.
"We had film, the celluloid and everything... Even when home video was starting, it was just an experiment," he explained.
Solade recounted how the early days of Yoruba filmmaking involved recording performances with camcorders and selling them on cassettes placed on bookshelves in stores.
"So, you as a shop owner, would introduce the cassette for people to buy; it all started like that," he said.
The actor expressed frustration at the lack of recognition for Yoruba creatives, blaming it on their failure to document and promote their work compared to other sectors of the industry.
"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," he said emphatically.
He further noted that veterans like Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko, who are still alive and active, can bear witness to the early foundations laid by the Yoruba film community.
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