Veteran Nollywood actor Jide Kosoko has called on parents to recognize and nurture their children’s creative abilities, emphasizing that attitudes toward artistic careers have significantly evolved.
Speaking on the Honest Brunch podcast, Kosoko reflected on his own struggles convincing his family to accept his passion for acting, recalling a time when parents only aspired for their children to become doctors, lawyers, or engineers.
“In those days, creativity was not encouraged. Unlike now, where even billionaires bring their children to be trained as actors,” he noted.
Despite being a household name in Nollywood, Kosoko revealed that he never pressured any of his children to follow in his footsteps. However, he admitted to playfully nudging his daughter Shola into the industry after recognizing her potential in a particular role.
“I saw a perfect role for her and convinced her to try it. She enjoyed it, and after that, she kept coming back on her own,” he shared.
Beyond his personal journey, Kosoko recounted an emotional experience where acting played an unexpected role in reuniting his estranged parents.
At 18, shortly after completing secondary school, he formed his own theater group and organized a grand performance, inviting prominent figures—including the then Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Femi Okunnu—as well as both his divorced parents, who had lived on the same street but remained apart for years.
To his amazement, the night of the performance became a turning point. Seated next to each other, his parents, once distant, shared laughter and warm interactions.
“That night, I saw them touch each other while laughing. It was a moment I will never forget. My love for acting brought my parents together again,” he recalled.
Kosoko’s decision to pursue acting full-time initially faced skepticism, even from Okunnu, who advised him to further his education, warning against the perception that Lagos boys lacked academic ambition.
“Even if you want to do theater, you still need further education,” Okunnu told him. Fearful of losing support, Kosoko agreed on the spot and later pursued studies at Yaba College of Technology.
Despite challenges, he remained committed to acting, establishing his own theater company in 1972, a move that solidified his place in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
