Veteran Yoruba actor Lere Paimo has weighed in on the debate over who pioneered Nollywood, arguing that Yoruba theatre predates the English-language productions often associated with actors such as Pete Edochie.
Speaking in a YouTube interview with Kunle Afod, the 86-year-old actor said he began his acting career in 1958, four years before Edochie reportedly said he started acting in 1962 at the age of 15.
The debate began after Edochie challenged his colleagues to prove whether anyone started acting before him, citing his 1962 role in William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.
Paimo disagreed, tracing Nollywood’s roots to the Yoruba travelling theatre tradition.
“I started acting in 1958. I met Hubert Ogunde, who was senior to me and others, and there were big movies produced back then,” he said.
He argued that indigenous Yoruba productions emerged long before English-language films became popular.
“I heard from history that when he (Hubert Ogunde) started in the ’40s, there was nobody before him, and we never heard from history that the English industry, or any movie done in the English language, started before him.
“Since we didn’t hear or read that in any history books or documentation, I believe the Yoruba industry started first.
“There was nothing like English-speaking movie production then; Ogunde started by producing movies in the Yoruba language, which he used to educate everyone who watched those movies back then. We never heard about English-speaking movies until now, when, with civilisation, we started hearing and seeing that there are English-speaking movies,” he said.
Paimo also addressed claims about other early theatre figures.
“I don’t know if Baba Olumegbon started before Ogunde, but all I know is that Ogunde was the person I knew who started acting first. Although I have been hearing about him for a long time, I can’t say he was senior to Ogunde,” Paimo said.
Paimo began his acting career with the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group before later joining Duro Ladipo’s group, where he played the role of Chief Basa in Obamoro.
He later gained prominence in Yoruba cinema, particularly for his role as Soun Ogunola in Ogbori Elemosho.