Nollywood actor Yemi Solade recently opened up about his long-standing career, boldly stating that he began acting before the iconic Pete Edochie—even though Edochie is older in age.
Speaking during an interview on Father’s Path with Tope, Solade reflected on his early days in the Yoruba arm of the film industry and shared his thoughts on how the history of Nollywood has often been misrepresented.
He recalled starting his acting journey at just 17, representing Nigeria back in 1977. “I’ve been at this for 48 years and I’m still here,” he said. “People like to assume certain regions started Nollywood, but the truth is we were already doing films before the rise of the home video era.”
Solade pointed to the lack of proper documentation in the Yoruba film industry as one of the reasons others have been able to claim credit for pioneering Nollywood. “We were doing theatre, recording on cassettes, and putting them on shop shelves for people to buy,” he explained. “It started as something small, but it was already happening.”
He mentioned names like Ade Ajiboye, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan, and Dr. Ola Balogun as major players in those early days. According to him, while other parts of the industry learned to use the media to tell their stories, many Yoruba filmmakers were simply focused on the art.
“People say they started Nollywood because they documented it better and had access to the media,” he noted. “But that doesn’t change the fact that the Yoruba space was already thriving in film and theatre. Adebayo Salami and Jide Kosoko are still around—they can tell you even more than I have.”
Solade’s remarks highlight a larger conversation about legacy, recognition, and how storytelling within an industry shapes public memory.
