How I Have Been Acting For The Past 46 Yrs

• Veteran Actor, YEMI SOLADE

Yemi Solade is a veteran Nollywood actor whose name needs little or no introduction. He is a top movie star who has been around for 46 years and still counting, gracing the movie screen. He has evolved through the thick and thin of the industry. He still remains very relevant where many of his contemporaries have struggled to survive. He is being featured in many top movies gracing the cinemas and on-line streaming sites such as Netflix, Prime Video, Show Max and many others.

Few days ago, Solade was invited by the International Visitor Leadership Program Alumni Association to motivate their graduates who were trained in the act of movie production. The programme which was tagged “Empower to Prosper” was sponsored by the US Consulate, Lagos. It was during his admonition that the veteran revealed that he has been in the movie industry for the past 46 years.

City People Reporter, JAMIU ABUBAKAR (08085185886) got him to speak on what has kept relevant in his profession of 46 years. Below are excerpts:

Tell us about 46 years in acting?

Yes! I started acting when I was 17. That was in 1977. If you do your calculations well, that’s 46 years. And professionally I have been there for forty years and I’m still honing my skills; I’m still working. I think I’m one of the lucky ones who have been around this long and still doing it big. I got back from a location yesterday playing a big role in a movie that will hit the cinema. We are expecting another one from Netflix, from Kunle Afolayan. I played a major role. So, I can only say thank you God for the grace. I know I do so much, I work hard and this is what we want to hand over to the young generation; the coming one. They shouldn’t rest on their oars. They should just keep pushing it like the quotation we heard from Dr Onoja. And he quoted Martin Luther King that if you are a sweeper, sweep very well so that even the host of heaven will know that you sweep very well. So, I’m an actor. I act very well.

How have you been able to keep up the standard and remain top in Nollywood over the years?

I will tell you the training is part of it. We had quality training here and there, in and outside Nigeria. I want to thank Professor Wole Shoyinka who started it all for me in Ife and till date I keep upgrading myself. I look around, I tap from the environment. Even my age; most people will look at me and say; he doesn’t look his age. I take very good care of myself. If you look at me very well, you will know that this man takes good care of himself. And I like to keep up with the pace. I stand in my lane. No competition whatsoever. But I’m available for anybody who wants to work with me. Once the package is right and that’s all.

Is there anything you are doing personally to train young ones; maybe an academy you run to train them?

I hope someday I will run an academy but I’m still a lot in the field. No time for that but I mentor a lot of people, a lot of upcoming artists who want to be in Nollywood.  I do that for no gain at all.

46 years of acting is great, what’s your advice for the upcoming?

I will just tell them to start with acquiring training, go for film education, practice very well, be open minded and they should forget everything about being celebrities and all of that. That is not the bottom line. They should just do it outright and be positive. They should be truthful to art and then the art will pay them off in no time.

Yemi Etieme Solade was born on 31st January 1960 in Surulere Lagos, State – He is 63 years old. His mum is from Oron in Akwa Ibom State and his dad is from Egba in Ogun State. During his early days in Lagos State, he grew up at Adeniran Ogunsanya, along Ogunlana Drive. He attended St. Acquilla Primary School and proceeded to Birch Freeman Secondary school for his secondary school. After an attempt to get his A’level certificate abroad failed, he continued his education at Oyo State College of Arts and Science OSCAS as he prepared for JAMB. He attended the University of Ife which is now Obafemi Awolowo University (O.A.U), under the tutelage of Professor Wole Soyinka.

He graduated with a degree in Dramatic Arts from O.A.U and proceeded to ABU Zaria for a Master’s degree in Public Administration. He also acquired a degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Leicester University, U.K, and a degree in International Relations from O.A.U. He completed his National Youth Service Corps program in Maiduguri, where he taught in Ramat Polytechnic. He later moved to Kaduna Polytechnic where he taught general studies, communication skills, and literature.

Yemi started acting when he was 17, during Festac 77, an Arts and Culture Festival held in 1977. As a young Surulere boy, he was the dance champion in Lagos State for 3 years in a row when he represented Africa in world dance competitions in Spain. He made his first appearance on stage during a 45-minutes-monologue, titled “Crazy Youngie”, where he played the role of a passenger and driver.

After Yemi Solade completed his education, he lectured in universities and polytechnics such as the University of Maiduguri, Ramat Polytechnic, and Kaduna Polytechnic. He moved on to Kaduna where he became the Assistant Director of Kaduna music and drama society which was founded by the Deputy British High Commission. He later moved to O.A.U in 1993, where he was made the Artistic Director at Professor Ola Rotimi’s theatre company. He shot his first Yoruba film “Oju Inu” (Insight), which was directed by Wale Adenuga, owner of the PEFTI Film Institute. His team was the first to premiere a movie at Muson Center, but due to financial hurdles, the movie didn’t make it past that stage.

Yemi featured in every Wale Adenuga series including Papa Ajasco, Super Story, This Life, and Odd World. He is popularly known for his role in movies such as Voiceless Scream, The Widow, and Elevator Baby. He has also acted in movies such as Madam Dearest, Pasito Deinde, Iriri Mi, BreadWinner, Thunderbolt, My Experience, Shadows, Gbagede, The Other Woman and a host of others. He played the role of a lawyer in a trending drama series titled Borokini, where he acted as Olasupo Omoseni.