Actor Jide Kosoko's daughter, Sola had a recent chat with Punch and talked great length about her father. See below:
How was growing up with your father like?
My growing up was fun. It was real fun.
My father was always going on locations because he had been acting
before I was born. But anytime he was around, we were always happy
because we knew he would lavish us with gifts and pamper us. He made
sure we enjoyed ourselves. He usually took us to Amusement Park and
Domino Stores in Lagos.
Did your father influence your interest in acting?
Yes, my father influenced my interest in acting. He asked me to feature in one of his movies titled Olorire in
2001, though I had been acting with him since 1999. I was initially
unhappy that he asked me to act in his film because, then, I was more
interested in gaining admission into a university. But he advised me
that acting would not affect my education and that education also should
not affect my interest in acting. I reluctantly accepted and that was
the movie that shot me into limelight.
How do you feel acting with your father?
I have been acting with him since I was
young. The only time I fidget on set is when I am not getting a
particular role well or when I am being corrected two or three times.
But apart from that, whenever I am on set with him, I feel happy. He is
my father and I used to live with him. It is always a great experience
acting with him. I am close to him and each time I am with him on set, I
feel I am acting with just another actor and not my father.
What kind of man is he?
He is a very simple and straightforward
person. Many people in the entertainment industry know that he is a man
who does not hide his feelings when someone offends him. He likes
playing games on his laptop. In fact, when you see him concentrating on
his laptop you will think he is very busy with some documents. But when
you move closer, you will discover that he is playing games. He also
does same on his phones.
What ideals did you learn from him?
I have learnt a lot from him. He knows a
lot about the profession. Before I started professional acting, we used
to do many things together that were acting related. Whenever we were
casting, he would ask us to suggest names and tell us why a certain
person could not act a particular role. He would give reasons why he
preferred another person to play such role. I am a producer and whenever
I am casting, I always use the ideas I have learnt from him. His
simplicity amazes me. I have learnt from him to be humble always. He
takes life easy. For instance, if I am working on something and it is
giving me a tough time, I will abandon it to concentrate on other
things. When I was doing the production of one of my films, we could not
shoot because one of our cast disappointed us and it also rained
heavily. It nearly took two days but when my cast and crew saw the way
the rest of us were playing with my father; they relaxed. I felt I
should not stress myself because of the situation. I relaxed because I
saw the way my father was playing and chatting. That is the same way he
handles his job too. He does not take it as a do-or-die thing.
How sociable is he?
My father is very sociable. He attends
parties. In the entertainment, we are like one big family. One does not
need to know the other before honouring the latter’s invitation to an
event. He always attends social events of his colleagues or younger
artists except he is not available.
How close are you to him?
We are very close. We are so close to the
extent that I tell him things one will not expect a daughter to tell
her father. We discuss intimately. In my career as an actress for
instance, if I am planning any production, he will be informed ahead of
time. He will know the day I am starting and when I will be ending it. I
have lost my mother. It is him I have and I cannot hide anything from
him. Even now when I am married, I still confide in him.
Is there any challenge being the daughter of a popular actor?
Yes, there is the challenge of having to
comport oneself properly at all times. I also have to always remember
the daughter of who I am. He always tells his children to behave well.
He advises us to always do things that will promote the name he has been
building for many years. I always try to stay within limit and behave
well at all times. It is not easy because of the profession I am in but I
strive to be the best I can be all the time.
Did he ever visit you when you were in the university?
Yes, he did but he did not tell me he was
coming the day he visited. It was on a Sunday and I was in church. He
went to my hostel and my neighbours told him I went to church. He asked
for the location of my church and came there to look for me. When he
arrived, they knew who he was looking for and the ushers came to call
me. He told me he was coming from a trip and felt he should see me.
Has your father’s name attracted favours to you?
Yes, I have received many favours because
of who my father is. His name has opened a lot of doors for me. There
are some places I get to that after introducing myself,some people will
ask me if I am related to Jide Kosoko. If know that I need my father’s
name in such a place, I will not hesitate to quickly say he is my
father. I may not even be recognised as an actress but upon mentioning
his name, I will be well attended to. The old and young generation of
actors and actresses respect him. Even when I want to quietly do what I
intend to do, the attention and support I get when they know I am Jide
Kosoko’s daughter often surprises me.
How did he discipline any child who erred?
My father does not know how to discipline
a child. The best he does is to handle any child who misbehaves over to
someone who can discipline such a child. When we were young, he would
hand us over to our uncles whenever we did something wrong. Each time
they came on a visit, he would use the opportunity to tell them that we
misbehaved. He does not like spanking his children. He has a soft spot
for children. I cannot remember the day he beat me. But he likes talking
to any erring child. He would sit us down as children and tell us what
we should do and what we should not do. At times, he would preach and
pray or ask one of us to preach before going to sleep.
Did you enjoy preferential treatment from your lecturers and colleagues by virtue of who your dad is?
I am always myself anywhere I am. I don’t
put up the attitude of ‘I am JideKosoko’s daughter’ anywhere I go. Even
when I became an actress, I remain humble as I am. When I was in the
university, I did not take advantage of the fact that I am an actress or
my father is a popular actor. I did what other students were required
to do normally and did not influence anything. I never thought then that
I should seek preferential treatment because I was already a known
actress.
What are the values your father cherishes?
Like I said earlier, he is a very simple
man. His humility is great. Sometimes, he would want to take a bike from
one place to the other and we would remind him that he could not do so
because of his status. He would be wondering why he could not do so. But
that is what stardom has done to him. He is somebody that likes doing
things in a simple way.
How does he maintain peace with his wives?
The children are not always aware of
disagreement between him and his wives. They settle that in the bedroom.
My father is very mature. He knows how to ensure peace in his house.
There has been no tough misunderstanding in his house except for minor
disagreements noticeable among mature couples.
How do you feel being his daughter?
I feel honoured by God. I feel really
good. I thank God for putting me in such a family. I know that a lot of
people would want to be in my position and I thank God for giving me
such a family.
How does he relax?
He likes relaxing by watching English or Yoruba movies.
What is his best food?
He likes white rice and croaker fish.
What are his favourite sports?
I am not sure he has any liking for any
sports but when we were young, he used to engage in relay races with us
in our compound. I think it was because of his affection for children
that made him run with us in those days.
How does he like to dress?
My father likes English and native
attire. He buys a lot them. He gives many out too and that is why each
time he gives some out, he buys more to replace them.
What is his favourite drink?
He likes water. It is not that he does not drink at all but it is in moderation.
What is his schedule like?
He is extremely busy, always attending to one thing or the other.