On Monday, March 24, veteran Nollywood actor Jide Kosoko revealed that despite his fame and over 60 years of experience in the Nigerian film industry, he is not as wealthy as many might assume.
The 71-year-old actor, who has contributed significantly to both English and Yoruba-language films, admitted that while he is comfortable, he doesn’t consider himself rich by Nigerian standards.
During his appearance on The Honest Bunch podcast, Kosoko shared, “I have been in this [movie] industry for this long. I thank God that I can eat three square meals. But can I claim to be a rich man by Nigerian standards? No.”
Kosoko also touched on one of the major challenges facing Nollywood – piracy. He pointed out how piracy has had a damaging effect on the Nigerian movie industry, and he called for stricter penalties for those involved in pirating films.
“The punishment in the copyright law for piracy is still not strong enough as far as I am concerned. Somebody who has been pirating people’s works for years is a billionaire, so how much do you want to fine him?” Kosoko remarked. “Fine him N500 million, and he will just bring it out of what he has sold. But if you attach a 20-year jail sentence to it with no option of a fine, people will refrain from piracy.”
Kosoko’s acting career began at the age of 11 in 1964 with the television production Makanjuola. Since then, he has starred in hundreds of Nollywood films, becoming one of the industry’s most respected figures. Despite the challenges he’s faced, he continues to contribute to the growth of Nigerian cinema.
