Pete Edochie vs Yemi Solade: Fresh Twist in Nollywood Seniority Debate As Yoruba Star Doubles Down

• Yemi Solade reignited his seniority debate with Pete Edochie, insisting he entered the acting industry before the veteran Igbo star
• The Yoruba actor acknowledged Pete Edochie's age but drew a clear distinction between age and industry experience
• Solade invoked iconic names like Peju Ogunmola and Muka Ray to back his argument that Yoruba people pioneered filmmaking in Nigeria

Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has gone a step further in his ongoing dispute with Pete Edochie, standing firmly by his earlier claim that he predates the celebrated actor in the Nigerian film industry.

Legit.ng had previously reported that Solade made waves when he boasted about having been in the acting business for 48 years, suggesting he entered the craft before Pete Edochie.

The fresh interview with Feel Right News TV shows he has no intention of walking those comments back.

Speaking with measured confidence, Solade was clear about separating two distinct issues: age and professional experience.

He confirmed that Pete Edochie is his elder and that he would show the appropriate respect if they were in the same room, going down to greet him. However, on the question of who started acting first, Solade's position is unwavering; he believes he holds the edge.

Yoruba Cinema Came First, Solade Argues

Central to Solade's argument is his belief that Yoruba people were making films long before Nollywood was established as a concept.

He cited the likes of Peju Ogunmola and Muka Ray as proof that a rich tradition of screen performance existed in Yorubaland, one that predates what many now credit as the birth of the Nigerian film industry.

In his words:

"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. 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."

Solade also took aim at media coverage, arguing that journalists who exclusively seek out English-language filmmakers when discussing Nollywood history have contributed to a skewed narrative that sidelines Yoruba contributions.

Watch the viral video of Solade's interview from X:

Solade on Women and Hotel Meetings

Separately in the same interview, Solade addressed a personal habit that has apparently caused some confusion.

He revealed that he routinely asks anyone wishing to meet him, regardless of gender, to do so at hotels. According to him, a number of women have misread this arrangement, wrongly assuming it signals romantic intent on his part.

Yemi Solade criticised colleagues

Legit.ng previously reported that Yemi Solade shared his thoughts on the viral video of the final burial of late actor Segun Remi.

The moviemaker was laid to rest in an emotional ceremony recently, where family and friends wept as they bid him farewell.

He questioned why many of his colleagues failed to attend the burial, describing their absence as sad and appalling.