Yemi Solade Says He Started Acting Before Pete Edochie – Nollywood Origins Debate
Nollywood veteran Yemi Solade recently stirred the pot in a widely circulated video by declaring that, while Pete Edochie may be older in age, Solade’s acting career began earlier. He claims he started performing around the age of 17 and represented Nigeria at FESTAC ’77, suggesting a 48‑year career that predates Edochie’s professional debut.
Redefining “seniority” in Nollywood
Solade felt compelled to reshape what it means to be a “senior” actor. He argued that seniority shouldn’t just be defined by age, but by length of active participation in movie production:
“Senior in acting experience, not just age,” he emphasized.
Challenging Nollywood’s origin story
Beyond his personal claim, Solade reignited a deep cultural debate over the true beginning of Nollywood. He sided with those who argue that Yoruba-language filmmakers pioneered home-video filmmaking in Nigeria during the 1980s, not the Southeast Igbo-led era often credited to the 1992 classic Living in Bondage.
According to Solade:
- Yoruba filmmakers like Muyideen Aromire and Ade Ajiboye produced VHS films like Ekun (1988) and Soso Meji, which predate Living in Bondage.
- The widely praised Igbo productions gained prominence due to better documentation and marketing, overshadowing earlier Yoruba home-video efforts.
Online reactions: Support and skepticism
Public response has been mixed:
- Many reminded Solade that Pete Edochie was already famous in the 1970s via the Things Fall Apart TV adaptation, casting doubt on Solade’s seniority claim.
- Some fans defended Solade’s experience and contributions.
- Others criticized Solade for downplaying Edochie’s legacy and stirring ethnic rivalry between Yoruba and Igbo Nollywood practitioners.
Final take
- Solade’s point: He started acting at 17 (around 1977) and believes seniority should be measured by career length not age.
- He reignited debate on whether Yoruba home-video films precede the Southeastern boom of the 1990s.
- Critics counter that Pete Edochie, a household name since the early 1970s via impactful TV roles, remains iconic and that Living in Bondage marked Nollywood’s commercial turning point.
Bottom line: Yemi Solade’s declaration reopened conversations about Nollywood’s founding era and the complex interplay of regional contributions. Whether he’s truly “senior” to Pete Edochie depends on how one defines seniority—by age, career longevity, or cultural impact.
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