Veteran Nigerian actor Lere Paimo has challenged Pete Edochie’s recent assertions about his seniority in the country’s film industry.
The controversy erupted after Edochie, during an appearance on ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask,’ stated that he began acting at age 15 in 1962, referencing his role in William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ as evidence of his early start.
Edochie, 79, further claimed that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a prominent American film and television company, recognized only him and South Africa’s John Kani as Africa’s major actors, saying, MGM evaluated filming efforts in Africa and said, ‘There are only two people we recognize as actors: Pete Edochie and John Kani.
I did ‘Things Fall Apart’ in 1985. Nollywood began in 1992 with ‘Living in Bondage.’ I’m the only man who did a film that drew white people to come and interview me.
However, in a recent interview with actor Kunle Afod, 86-year-old Paimo countered Edochie’s claims, revealing that he started his acting career in 1958, four years before Edochie’s cited debut, under the legendary filmmaker Herbert Ogunde.
I began acting in 1958. I met Hubert Ogunde, who was senior to me and others, and there were already major productions back then,” Paimo said. He also highlighted Ogunde’s pioneering role in the industry, noting, “From history, when Ogunde started in the 1940s, there was nobody before him.
We’ve never read that the English-language film industry, or any other, predates his work. Since there’s no historical record to the contrary, I believe the Yoruba industry came first.”
Paimo further addressed speculation that other theatre icons, such as Baba Olumegbon, may have started before Ogunde.
I don’t know if Baba Olumegbon began before Ogunde, but Ogunde is the earliest I know. Although I have heard of Baba Olumegbon for a long time, I can’t say he was senior to Ogunde,” Paimo explained.
Lere Paimo began his career in the Yoruba travelling-theatre tradition, initially with the Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group before joining Duro Ladipo’s renowned troupe.
