Lere Paimo disputes seniority claims in Nollywood history

Veteran Nollywood actor Lere Paimo has disputed claims regarding the seniority of Nigerian actors, stating that he began his acting career in 1958. This timeline places his start four years before Pete Edochie, who previously cited 1962 as the beginning of his career.

During an interview with Kunle Afod, Paimo referenced the Yoruba travelling theatre tradition and the late legend Hubert Ogunde to contextualize his career. He noted that Ogunde began producing movies in the Yoruba language in the 1940s, predating the prominence of English-language productions in the region. Paimo emphasized that the Yoruba industry established a foundation for indigenous storytelling before the widespread rise of English-speaking cinema.