Lere Paimo, a renowned actor, has challenged Pete Edochie’s claim to seniority within Nigeria’s film industry. Paimo said he began acting in 1958, four years before Edochie’s claimed start in 1962.
The 86-year-old actor made this assertion during a recent interview with Kunle Afod. He traced his acting journey back to the Yoruba travelling theatre era and the legendary filmmaker Hubert Ogunde.
Paimo also maintained that the Yoruba theatre tradition predates the advent of English-language filmmaking in Nigeria.
His remarks follow Pete Edochie’s recent comments about his early acting career. On ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask,’ he mentioned he started acting at 15 in 1962, highlighting his performance in William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ as proof of his long-standing career.
Lere Paimo further addressed claims that other theatre practitioners, including Baba Olumegbon, may have commenced acting before Ogunde.
