Pride Is in His Blood – Kola Olaiya Says Pete Edochie Is Too Proud to Honour Nigeria’s Theatre Pioneers
Veteran Nigerian actor Kola Olaiya has reopened the debate over who is the most senior actor in Nigeria, saying Nollywood icon Pete Edochie is too proud to honour the theatre pioneers who came before him. Speaking in a new interview with Oyinmomo TV, Olaiya argued that Yoruba travelling theatre legends such as Hubert Ogunde were acting long before Edochie was even born.
What Kola Olaiya Said About Pete Edochie
Olaiya did not hold back. In the interview, uploaded on Friday, October 16, 2026, he described Edochie as a proud man who finds it hard to respect his elders in the profession.
“I have known him for long that pride is in his blood. That is why he cannot pay homage to the elders that made him,” he said, as reported by Ripples Nigeria.
He went further, insisting that the history of acting in Nigeria did not start with English-language television or the home video era. “Before they gave birth to Pete Edochie, Ogunde had been acting,” Olaiya said.
“Where Was Pete Then?”
To support his point, Olaiya listed some of the founding fathers of Nigerian theatre. He said Hubert Ogunde started theatre in 1944 after resigning from the police force, and that Ogunde had produced films and recorded songs before Edochie was born.
He also named Oyin Adejobi, Duro Ladipo and Kola Ogunmola as early stars of the stage. After listing them, he asked a simple question: “Where was Pete then?”
Regional Senior, Not National
Olaiya said he would not argue if Edochie claimed to be the most senior actor in his own region. But he drew a clear line when it came to the whole country.
“I do not know if he is the first in his region and has no superior; that is fine,” he said. “But in the whole of Nigeria? No.”
How the Seniority Debate Started
The row goes back to Pete Edochie’s appearance on Curiosity Made Me Ask, the podcast hosted by comedian Isbae U. On the show, the veteran said he began acting in 1962, at the age of 15.
He pointed to a stage performance of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice as proof of how far back his career goes. He also referenced his famous role as Okonkwo in the TV adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the part that made him a household name across Africa.
According to PM News, Edochie also challenged actors who claim to have started before him to come forward and back up their claims.
Lere Paimo Was First to Respond
Yoruba theatre veteran Lere Paimo was one of the first to answer that challenge. In a September interview with actor and filmmaker Kunle Afod, Paimo said he was already acting before Edochie began.
“I started acting in 1958,” Paimo said, which would put his start four years ahead of Edochie. He also noted that he met Hubert Ogunde, whom he described as senior to him and others.
Olaiya’s fresh comments have now pushed the conversation back into the spotlight, with blogs across Nigeria and Ghana picking up the story.
Olaiya’s Tribute to Hubert Ogunde
Beyond his criticism of Edochie, Olaiya spoke warmly about Ogunde, whom he described as a father figure and boss who shaped his life and career.
He recalled that he eventually wrote Ogunde a resignation letter explaining why he was leaving the group. Even so, he said he remains grateful to the late theatre legend for everything he learnt under him.
Quick Facts
- Who spoke: Veteran actor Kola Olaiya
- Where: An interview with Oyinmomo TV, uploaded Friday, October 16, 2026
- Target: Nollywood legend Pete Edochie
- Edochie’s claim: He started acting in 1962, at age 15 (on Isbae U’s Curiosity Made Me Ask podcast)
- Lere Paimo’s claim: He started acting in 1958
- Pioneers Olaiya named: Hubert Ogunde (theatre from 1944), Oyin Adejobi, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola
- Edochie’s response: None reported at the time of writing
Why This Debate Matters
The argument touches on a bigger question about how Nigeria tells the story of its film and theatre industry. Nollywood as a home video industry rose to fame in the early 1990s, but Yoruba travelling theatre groups were performing and making films decades earlier.
For many fans, the debate is less about one actor and more about giving proper credit to the pioneers whose work laid the foundation for today’s stars. It also comes at a busy time for Yoruba-language cinema, with projects like Femi Adebayo’s Jagun Jagun 2: War of Warriors drawing global attention.
Seniority and respect have been hot topics in the industry lately. Fellow veteran Kanayo O. Kanayo also sparked conversation recently with comments about status and pay across West African film.
Has Pete Edochie Responded?
As of the time of writing, Pete Edochie has not publicly responded to Kola Olaiya’s remarks. The 79-year-old actor, one of the most respected figures in African film, has often spoken proudly about his long career on stage, radio and television.
Whether he replies or not, the seniority debate has once again shown how passionate Nigerians are about their entertainment history. Fans will be watching closely to see if more veterans join the conversation in the coming days.
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