Veteran Yoruba actor Kola Olaiya has fired a sharp criticism at Nollywood icon Pete Edochie, accusing the legendary thespian of excessive pride that prevents him from honouring the industry pioneers who came before him. In a recent interview on Oyinmomo TV, Olaiya claimed Edochie has failed to properly acknowledge the older theatre practitioners who laid the foundation for modern Nigerian acting.
Olaiya did not hold back in his assessment of Edochie’s attitude.
“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 stated.
He insisted that true respect for the industry’s history requires recognising those who started long before Edochie rose to prominence.
The actor pointed to the late theatre legend Hubert Ogunde as a prime example of an early trailblazer whose work predated Edochie’s career. According to Olaiya, Ogunde left the police force and began his theatre work in 1944, producing films and hit songs years before Edochie was even born.
“Ogunde had been acting before Pete was born. After that, some people like Oyin Adejobi, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, were joining. Where was Pete Edochie then?” he asked.
Olaiya acknowledged that Edochie might feel he has no seniors within his own cultural or regional circle in the South East, but he rejected any claim of supremacy across the entire Nigerian industry.
“If Pete says in his own tribe, he doesn’t have a boss, I wouldn’t know, but here in the whole Nigeria, no,” Olaiya maintained.
The comments form part of a wider and heated debate about seniority and pioneering status in Nollywood that has recently intensified. Pete Edochie had earlier stated in a podcast appearance that he began acting in 1962 at the age of 15, citing early stage work including a performance in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Olaiya’s response seeks to place that timeline in the broader context of decades of Yoruba theatre tradition that came first.
During the same interview, Olaiya also reflected on his own formative years working under Ogunde, whom he described as a father figure and boss. He recalled eventually writing a resignation letter after disagreements over group matters such as vehicles and salary deductions, yet he still expressed lasting gratitude for the opportunities and support he received. These personal anecdotes underscored his broader call for humility and proper recognition of those who built the foundation of Nigerian stage and screen.
The exchange has sparked fresh discussion among industry watchers and fans about respect, history and generational attitudes within Nollywood. While some see Olaiya’s remarks as a necessary reminder of the industry’s deep roots, others view the public criticism of a figure as revered as Pete Edochie as fueling unnecessary division.