Veteran actor Kola Olaiya criticized Pete Edochie over seniority claims in Nollywood, pointing out that pioneers like Hubert Ogunde acted before him.
Popular veteran Nigerian actor, Kola Olaiya, has strongly criticized legendary movie star, Pete Edochie, over his recent public claims regarding who is the most senior actor in Nigeria’s film and theatre industry.
Calling out the iconic actor, Kola Olaiya accused Pete Edochie of being too proud and failing to respect early theatre legends who laid the foundation for acting in the country long before the modern movie industry emerged.
The heated argument was shared in a new interview video uploaded on Friday, October 16, 2026, on Oyinmomo TV’s official YouTube channel.
The heated debate over who started acting first in Nigeria resurfaced after Pete Edochie appeared on comedian Isbae U’s popular podcast show, titled ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’, where he boasted that he began his acting career as far back as 1962 at the age of 15, playing a major role in William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice.
Following that podcast, veteran Yoruba actor Lere Paimo also spoke out, revealing that he started acting in 1958, four years before Pete Edochie started his own journey.
Joining the conversation to set the record straight on how theatre started in the country, Kola Olaiya stated that acting history in Nigeria did not start with English-language movies or television dramas, but with early stage theatre pioneers.
Accusing the respected actor of having too much pride and refusing to honor those who came before him, Kola Olaiya declared: “Pete Edochie is a proud human being. I have known him for long. Pride is in his blood. That is why he cannot respect elders.”
He explained that the father of modern Nigerian theatre, Chief Hubert Ogunde, resigned from his police job to start professional theatre performance as far back as 1944, many years before Pete Edochie was even born.
Reminding the public of the long history of Nigerian theatre and how Hubert Ogunde started performance art in the 1940s, Kola Olaiya stated: “Before they gave birth to Pete Edochie, Ogunde had been acting. That is why he cannot admit that some people started before him. Ogunde started theatre in 1944, when he resigned as a police officer.”
Listing other late legendary theatre masters who performed across the country before the current generation of actors came on screen, Olaiya mentioned names like Oyin Adejobi, Duro Ladipo, and Kola Ogunmola as true pioneers who established performance art in Nigeria.
Asking where Pete Edochie was when these early masters were making records and traveling from state to state with stage plays, Kola Olaiya asked: “Ogunde produced a lot of movies and made records before Edochie was born. After that, people like our fathers, including Oyin Adejobi, Duro Ladipo and Kola Ogunmola, joined the industry. Where was Pete then?”
Concluding his thoughts on the matter, the veteran actor noted that being a senior actor in one’s state or region does not mean the person is the oldest or most senior actor in the whole country.
Clarifying the difference between regional popularity and nationwide seniority, Kola Olaiya noted: “I do not know if he is the first in his region and has no superior; that is fine. But in the whole of Nigeria? No.”
Movie lovers and cultural historians across the country are actively sharing their thoughts on social media regarding the true history of acting in Nigeria.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
