Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has reaffirmed his earlier claim about his seniority over veteran actor Pete Edochie, insisting that although Edochie is older in age, he has been in the acting profession longer.
Solade had previously made the claim during an interview, where he acknowledged Edochie’s age but pointed to his own 48-year career in the industry.
Speaking with Feel Right News TV, Solade explained that he would respect Edochie because of his age but maintained that he had started acting before him.
“Pete Edochie is my senior by age. If he enters this place now, I will go down to greet him, but I am senior to him in this world; we’ve been acting in Yorubaland before Nollywood. His people are always trying to undermine my tribe and say they started Nollywood.
“We’ve been acting before Nollywood started; even Nollywood, we started it. I cannot watch and let anyone undermine my tribe, because others not talking doesn’t mean I shouldn’t talk. I want to grow old like him, but I started acting before him, same way some people started before me.”
The actor argued that Yoruba practitioners had been making films and performing long before Nollywood emerged, noting that several actors began their careers at a very young age.
He cited veteran performers such as Muka Ray and Peju Ogunmola, saying they were already active in the profession before he began his own acting career.
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Prompt News reports Solade also mentioned Jide Kosoko while criticising the media for what he described as its focus on English-language filmmakers when discussing the history of Nigeria’s film industry.
“Jide Kosoko cannot start talking now, and I’ll talk back to him when it comes to the industry. The press, media, and newspapers caused this; they only go to English movie makers to ask questions. My people don’t really care about these things, but we need to set the record straight.
“I started before him; Yoruba people started making movies before any tribe in Nigeria. It’s a fact; facts don’t care about emotions. People like Muka Ray, Peju Ogunmola and co were born into this and acted since they were small; they started before me too…”.
Solade maintained that he was speaking up to ensure that the contribution of Yoruba actors and filmmakers to the development of Nigeria’s film industry was properly recognised.
