After 60 years in Nollywood, I cannot claim to be a rich man – Actor, Jide Kosoko says
Veteran actor Jide Kosoko has revealed that despite his decades-long career and fame in Nollywood, it has not translated into substantial wealth.
Speaking on The Honest Bunch podcast, he stated that while he is financially comfortable, he does not consider himself rich by Nigerian standards. Kosoko, who began his acting journey as a child actor in 1964 with the television production Makanjuola, has since starred in numerous Nollywood films across both English and Yoruba genres.
“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,” he said
The 71-year-old film star emphasized that piracy has significantly impacted the Nigerian movie industry and called for harsher penalties for pirates.
“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?
“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,” he said.
