June 20, (THEWILL)- Seasoned actor, Prince Jide Kosoko, one of the pioneers of the Yoruba movie genre, has paid his dues as a filmmaker. The celebrated actor and his beautiful daughters, Shola, Abina and Abidemi, who are following his footsteps, speak with SHADE METIBOGUN about their careers, their working relationship and other matters
Dad Played Role of Mother to Me as a Child – Bidemi Kosoko
Did you ever consider starting a career in other fields different from Nollywood?
Yes I did. I am also a hair dresser. I make and sell wigs, too. There was a time when I ventured into catering, not on a full scale though. I just cooked for some of my clients. Eventually I decided to take up film acting and totally fell in love with it.
What other career would you have pursued?
I would have been a caterer or hair stylist. I am passionate about cooking. I enjoy it a lot. Maybe, I would have pursued that vigorously, too. I can prepare all kinds of dishes. I also enjoy making wigs. Having said that, I will say acting for me is inbuilt. It is not just something that runs in the family. It is one career hat I enjoy a lot.
How does it feel working with a seasoned Nollywood actor who is also your father?
I always have a fantastic experience anytime I work alongside my dad. He is not only my dad, but also a legendary figure in the movie industry. He is very professional and will not hesitate to correct me whenever I do something wrong so that I can get it right. I always have a reason to do things better anytime I am on a movie set, whether with my dad or another older actor.
How would you describe him as a father?
I used to call him the best father in the world. He is brave and loves to a fault. He is the best father anyone can wish for. He has been a mother and father figure to us. He treats everyone the same way. When I was growing up, we had house helps at home working for us, but he treated everybody the same way. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between his children and the house helps. My older siblings used to bring their friends home at the time. You could never tell the difference. He often reminded us to treat our house helps well because no parent wished to give their children out as house helps. My father also advises us every now and then, telling us what life is all about.
Do you mind sharing some of the career advice you have received from him?
He taught me to always be myself and not allow anyone to intimidate me. He also taught me to give my best, especially in my career, and to interpret all roles as if they are real. He taught me to be prayerful.
What are your wishes for your father as the world marks Father’s Day?
I wish him long life and good health. He has been a wonderful father to many children. I pray that he lives long to enjoy the fruits of his labour. I also pray that we, his children, will have the opportunity to take good care of him in his old age.
Between your mother and father, who were you closer to?
I was between six and seven years when my mother died. That means I was very close to my father. That was why I said earlier that my dad played both the role of a mother and a father in my life. I hardly knew my mother. I just have a faint memory of her. I love my dad very much.
…He Trained Us in Mum’s Absence – Shola Kosoko-Abina
You grew up in a home where your father is an actor and your step mother an actress. Would you say that basically influenced your decision to become an actress?
Yes, the fact that my dad is an actor influenced my decision to go into acting. Initially, I wanted to become a lawyer or broadcaster. Those were my career choices. Fortunately, I had appeared in some movies before I gained admission to the university to study for a diploma in Labour and Industrial Relations.
By the time I wanted to cross over for the courses I had in mind, I was told that I couldn’t cross from social sciences to the arts. That gave me great cause for concern really. So I had to settle for Sociology, which in a way is related to my acting career. Sociology is the study of life, human beings and their environment, the problems we face in the society, reasons for the problems and how to tackle them. That is what sociology is all about. That is somehow related to filming.
My dad actually influenced my career. He asked me to feature in some of the movies he produced. I started with Ola Abata in 1999. Later, I did Oko Erese in 2000, then Omo Olori re in 2001. That movie shot me into the limelight. Since then, I fell in love with acting.
When I was in the university, I was acting and studying at the same time. This affected my career. I thank God for where I am today. It is really worth it. I have no regret choosing the same profession as my dad. It is like a family business. Most members of my family are involved in the movie industry. My younger sister is also an actress. My elder brother is a film director. I have kid brothers and sisters who do a lot of drama skits, too. We all have no regrets. We give glory to Almighty God.
You have acted in a number of movies alongside your father. How would you describe the experience?
When I first started out as an actress, I was fearful. I often wondered if my dad would be comfortable with the way I was acting. I hoped he would like the way I was behaving on set. Sometimes he was hard on me, especially when correcting me. At other times, he was gentle.
Back in those days, I tried hard to do things the right way. And I made some mistakes. I scaled those hurdles a long time ago. Now when I am on a movie set with my dad, I act as if he is one of my colleagues. Whatever I need him to explain to me, I ask him as a senior colleague. He has been guiding and correcting us, but that fear is no longer there. We act as colleagues now.
Now that we have gained some experience in the business, we know the rudiments of acting and we have students who are training under our supervision. We are no longer scared when acting. If there is anything I need to know or learn, I still go to my father. He is not the kind of person that behaves as if he knows it all, especially when it comes to the social media. He would ask us how to handle it. He taught us a lot of things and I can say that we are representing well.
Did acting interfere with your studies?
Like I said before, my acting career suffered when I was in school. I am not the type of person that can focus on two things at the same time. I am saying the truth. Although I never left the film industry, I had to concentrate on my studies for the time being. During my free periods, I would return to my acting career. That was how I was able to cope.
What lessons did you learn from your father? How have they influenced your career?
He has taught me to be humble. My dad is a humble person. He is humble to a fault and that makes him stand out among his contemporaries. We his children do not hesitate to emulate that trait in him. He has also taught me the ethics of the profession, including punctuality and respect for senior colleagues in the field. My dad is a professional to the core. We learnt a lot from him.
It’s Father’s Day. What special wish do you have for your dad?
My dad really tried training us in the absence of our mum. He tried his best as a father and we love him so much for that. I wish God grants him long life, good health and sufficient wealth. My dad doesn’t aspire to be very rich; he just wants to be very comfortable and happy. I pray he sees his children flourish and become important personalities in the society. He will be very happy to see his children excel in their various careers and to attain those positions he had always wished for them. I pray for more happiness for him.
Not much is known about your mother. Tell us about her
My mum was a very calm and easy-going person. She was also a devoted Muslim. She is late and I don’t want to say much about her.
What was growing up like in a polygamous home?
We were raised as if we were from the same mother. We don’t see ourselves as step-sisters or step-brothers because we are all from the same father. We all love each other and we lived peacefully together. We still communicate well with our married siblings. Our polygamous family is blessed by God. We don’t have issues with one another. We help each other whenever the need arises.
I’m Glad My Children Are Taking After Me Professionally –
How does it feel to have some of your children following your foot steps in the movie industry?
I feel so happy that my children are taking after me professionally because it is an industry I have laboured to build as a pioneer. I have worked tirelessly to ensure that we arrive at a great destination. To God be the glory. Since it is a good profession, it is one of the best things happening in this part of the world at the moment. I am happy that my children are part of it.
Did you try to discourage any of them when they started out?
I didn’t discourage them. I encouraged them, but I ensured that I didn’t force any one of them into it. I encouraged them a lot because they were already in the system since their childhood. When I had the largest theatre group in Lagos with no fewer than 110 members and they came around for rehearsals, my children would come around and watch them. They also participated in what we were doing. There is hardly any of my children that did not partake in films, either as a kid actor, a baby or something in those days. They have been in the system right from childhood, although they studied different courses in the university. I thank God they have been doing well as industry practitioners, too.
What are the most significant things you have done to support your children’s careers?
First and foremost, I am their role model. They have seen the struggle and they have seen that it is something they can also do. They were determined to go ahead and of course, the helping hand I give them when they are on the job has greatly helped them. They have my name, which opens doors for them whenever they need it. Professionally, they have undergone some training. They know what it takes to succeed in the industry and they understand the trade very well.
Can you tell us about your children in other professions?
I have two scientists: Tunji and Adebanke Kosoko. I have Oluwatosin who lives in the United States of America. He studied Computer Science and Cyber Security. I have a son in the United Kingdom and he is into Real Estate. Back home, I have children in other professions. I am blessed with children.
What is the most amazing thing about being a father?
We have daddies and we have fathers. I am proud to say that I am a father. I did not only father them, but I also stood by them and gave them the necessary support when they were growing up. I tried my best to give them the necessary education. As a father, even as old as some of them are now, I still monitor them. Two or three of my children are over 40 years. Some are approaching 40 and some are approaching 30. Although some of them are already married, I still monitor what they do to ensure that they don’t do anything that will ruin the image of the family. I can tell you that they also guide me. As a father, you must endeavor to give your children a good upbringing. When you give them good upbringing, every other thing will fall into place and they will be able to tell their right from their left. I am not saying that they are weak. No. But they will be able to live life to the best of their abilities and to my own satisfaction.
What do you wish yourself this Father’s Day?
I must thank God that I am still alive. As one of the pioneers of the industry, I thank God that I am still one of the shining lights today. It is the grace of God. I wish all hard working fathers, all good fathers and all fathers that have endeavoured to give their children good upbringing to continue to live well and enjoy the fruits of their labour. That is my prayer.
What is the best approach to fatherhood in the 21st Century?
It is not the same thing when you want to compare it to that time we were growing up. There is a high competition in the way children are brought up now. That is part of the problem our leaders created because they failed to recognise the increase in population. So they can quickly start providing the necessary amenities.
When I was in London, I used to hear that there was no money. From time immemorial, people have been complaining of money. But there are some basic things that people must enjoy, no matter how poor they are. The impact of the government on the society has reflected badly on the standard of living in the country. As a result, I will advise people to cut their coats according to their clothes. Some people may tell me to shut up because I am a polygamist, but I have been lucky. The only way that we can advise fathers and parent to go about giving their children good upbringing is by giving them education and allow them to acquire skills. That could even be their take-off point.
We know the situation in the country. The government is not willing to accommodate everybody, as regards employment. From infancy, study children and know what they want and allow them to acquire a skill along the way. Parents should tell their children to tread softly, too. Youths should also get prepared for tomorrow. They should be prepared to take control. It is not all about agitation; it is all about participation. They make a lot of noise. But I still don’t want a situation where youths shy away from what they are supposed to participate in now. They should get involved. The youths can take over through massive participation. They can choose their own leaders. If they don’t participate well now, how will they be able to achieve that?
