Veteran Nollywood actor, Yemi Solade, has stated that he began his acting career before the widely revered Pete Edochie, despite being younger in age.

Speaking on an episode of Father’s Path with Tope, Solade reflected on his journey in the Yoruba film industry and shared insights into his early start in the profession.

“I began acting before Pete Edochie, even though he’s older than I am. I was just 17 when I represented Nigeria as the youngest actor in 1977. I’ve now spent 48 years in the industry and I’m still going strong,” Solade said.

He spoke about how various sectors of Nollywood began documenting their work using cassette tapes, marketing them to audiences.

Challenging the widespread notion that a different sector founded Nollywood, Solade insisted that the Yoruba film industry’s delayed documentation should not discredit its foundational role in Nigerian cinema.

“The first Nigerian home video was done by Ade Ajiboye, popularly known as Big Abass. We had pioneers like Hubert Ogunde, Baba Sala, Ade Afolayan — Kunle Afolayan’s father — and Dr. Ola Balogun, who is still alive today. They were already producing films on celluloid before home videos emerged,” he explained.

Solade added that the idea of home video began as an experiment led by filmmakers like Muyideen Alade Aromire. According to him, drama performances were recorded using camcorders, transferred to cassettes, and sold in shops — laying the groundwork for what would later become the home video boom.

He emphasized that the Yoruba industry's lack of early documentation opened the door for others to claim they pioneered Nollywood.

“Our people didn’t document anything early on, which allowed others to falsely claim they started Nollywood. But those of us who were there know the truth,” he said.

Solade attributed this misconception to media bias, noting that while other industry groups engaged actively with the press, the Yoruba practitioners were focused solely on acting — often without formal education in media or promotion.

“Adebayo Salami is still alive and could share more detailed stories. So is Jide Kosoko. We all worked together. The truth is, we were there from the beginning.”

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