Nollywood actor Yemi Solade has doubled down on his statement about Pete Edochie.
Kemi Filani reported that in a previous interview, the popular actor bragged about his seniority to Pete Edochie in acting. Though he acknowledged that Pete is older than he is, he said he had been in the industry for 48 years and is still going strong.
In an interview with Feel Right News TV, Yemi said Pete is his senior by age and would kneel to greet him; however, he is older than him in the movie industry. He noted that he acted in Yorubaland before Nollywood, but people always try to undermine his tribe.
Solade said Yorubas started making movies before any trībe in Nigeria and went on to mention names like Peju Ogunmola, Muka Ray, and others who started acting at a small age.
“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. People like Muka Ray, Peju Ogunmola and co were born into this and acted since they were small; they started before me too…”.
Elsewhere, in the interview with Feel Right News TV, Yemi said he always asks anyone who wants to see him, whether men or women, to meet him at hotels. He noted how many women have misinterpreted him, believing he wants to sleep with them.
In other news, Yemi, publicly apologised to his colleague, Afeez Owo, after he recounted how he slapped him at a movie set 20 years ago. He further added that he dislikes insults, which could be his weakness.
Last year, Solade had shared the outcome of his refusal to pay for an award plaque. The light-skinned Yoruba actor shared a screenshot of the message from an event organiser who refused to give him an award plaque over his refusal to pay for the award.
Also, last year, Yemi had reacted to the heavy backlash he received over his loved-up video with his colleague, Sanusi Izihaq better known as Apa. The actor exchanged words with a troll who unapologetically took a swipe at the actor’s mental state.