Acting is a tough but very lucrative and rewarding business. Though the path is not for everyone, many who have gained their feet in the business wish to grow someone who would succeed them, more like a family business. Jide Kosoko and his daughter Bidemi Kosoko are among those who have turned acting into a family business.
The veteran actor Jide Kosoko is one of the oldest actors in the Nigerian film industry. If you are a fan of Yoruba movies, you would have seen much of his films, perhaps with his daughter Bidemi featured in some of them. Both father and daughter might have attained some level of success in their career, but there is a lot more about their relationship you may not have known. Here we bring you key facts about the successful life of Jide Kosoko’s daughter, Bidemi Kosoko.
Bidemi Kosoko Was Born Into a Large Royal Family
Born into a polygamous family, Abidemi is the biological daughter of veteran actor Prince Jide Kosoko. She was born in Isale Eko, Lagos Island, Lagos State, on October 21, 1988, making her 35 years old. Her father, who hails from a royal family, married four wives, including Ganiyat, Karimat, and Henrietta.
Henrietta, who happens to be the fourth wife of the veteran actor, is often seen as Bidemi’s biological mother. However, according to the veteran actor, Bidemi’s mother, Ganiyat, died in 1993 while still young. Henrietta, her stepmother, and a Delta State indigene took up the responsibility of taking care of Bidemi and her siblings. Until today, the young actress still considers her as her mother.
Her Family Is Known for their Great Talents
In addition to being a member of a royal family, which automatically makes her a princess, Bidemi is also a member of a family with a solid foundation in the Nigerian entertainment industry. Aside from her father, a popular figure in the industry, the actress’ stepmother, Henrietta, whose real name is Emumejiakpo, had her share of fame, having appeared in mainstream movies like Onome and Omolade before her passing on 6 June 2016. Before her death, she was known as the President of the Association of Theatre Arts.
Bidemi is one of the twelve children of her father. She has two direct siblings (Dayo and Sola Kosoko) who are older than her. She also has step-siblings, including Bade, Temilade, Adebanke, Tunji, Muyiwa, and Tunde Kosoko. Interestingly, six of them have chosen a path in the entertainment industry. While Shola, who happens to be her only direct sister, is only a newbie in showbiz, her stepbrother Tunde has gained ground in the industry as a movie director. Her other stepsiblings are equally effective in showbiz, including Muyiwa Olowuh, a famous musician. There could be only a handful of families in Nollywood whose members are dedicated like the Kosokos.
Actress Bidemi Kosoko Started Acting At the Age of 12
Picking interest in acting may not be so much a problem for the likes of Bidemi, considering her family background. Her father started as a child actor, and growing up to have his own children, he drew their attention to the business effortlessly. Bidemi began nursing the dream for acting as a child, and through the support of her father and stepmother, she was able to find her feet in the business. Through her father, who is also a producer and owner of an acting group known as JKT Theatre Group, Bidemi was exposed to the business of acting.
Her father was fond of getting everyone in the family involved in his movie productions. Gradually, some of the children, including Bidemi, started building their confidence in the business. Bidemi eventually began her journey as a professional actress in 2000, at the age of 12. She joined her father’s acting group, where she worked on her acting skills and got more acting opportunities.
She Hit Her Career Success After Obtaining a Degree in Theatre Arts
Despite possessing the skills and talents that could earn her a good start in the Nollywood industry, Bidemi still chose to go through the four walls of a tertiary institution for a qualification in the acting field. Hence, she enrolled at the Lagos State University in 2011 and later graduated with a degree in Theatre Arts. She began her career in acting full-time shortly after graduation, and today, she is one of the fast-rising actresses in the industry. Bidemi’s first taste of career breakthrough was with Sola Sobowale‘s Ohun Oko Somida, followed by Omo Olorire.
Other Notable movies of Bidemi Kosoko include:
- Marriage Runs
- Asiri
- My Mum & I’
- One (Okan)
- Wicked Wife
- Simi
- Sikemi
- Arewa Olomi,
- Eegun
- Alakada Reloaded
- The Game (Ayo)
Jide Kosoko’s Daughter Is Also a Producer
Having gained so much experience in the acting business, Bidemi also tried her hands on some other entertainment areas, including film production. Her ability to gracefully interpret roles in movies helped her build a career as a movie producer. So far, the actress has been able to produce several films starting with the movie Sikemi. Her latest productions include Alakada Reloaded and Korikoto.
She Has Diversified into Other Lucrative Business
Aside from acting and producing films, Bidemi is famous for her great sense of fashion and style. She is a very fashionable person who knows how best to keep it simple yet classy. According to the actress, this habit comes to her naturally has seen her listed among the top fashionable female personalities in the entertainment industry. The actress also thrives in the hairdressing and catering business. She is the CEO of Biire Exquisite Concept and Splinterz Beauty world.
How Successful Is Bidemi Compared to Her Father?
Five decades is so much a long distance to compare a father’s experience in the entertainment industry with his daughter’s. However, we cannot deny that Bidemi has practically stolen the spotlight from her parents, having achieved so much in the pace of few years of following their footsteps. Jide Kosoko began acting in 1964 and has been active till now. For Bidemi, being a part of the new generation of Nollywood actors, talent, and training helped her traverse.
Although being the child of a veteran actor like Prince Jide Kosoko drew a lot of attention and opportunities to her, the actress also admits that her skills played an important role in her rise to fame. Like her father, she has appeared in both English and Yoruba blockbuster movies. While she is appreciative of her current position in the industry, the actress believes there’s still more she can do to surpass the achievements of her father, Prince Jide Kosoko. According to her, children “are meant to be better than their parents.”
In addition to earning huge income from her career, Bidemi, in the cause of her career, has won awards such as Best supporting actress of the year (Yoruba) at City People Entertainment award.
Bidemi Kosoko is Happily Married to Daniel Bankole
Bidemi Kosoko is a married woman. She is married to her lovely husband, Mr. Daniel Bankole. Further details about how she met her husband and when they got married are not made public. We know that the actress and her husband married traditionally, and they welcomed their first child and son on the 28th of May, 2019. The actress rarely says much about her family, and her husband appears not to be as popular as she is.
In early 2017, the beautiful actress was involved in a scandal where she was accused of having an affair with Omotoyosi Rasak, the husband of her co-actress Bose Alao Omotoyosi. According to reports, an anonymous person sent few messages to Bose Alao, where detailed information about Rasak’s affair with Bidemi was revealed.
Bidemi Kosoko denied all accusations against her. Even veteran actor Kosoko spoke in defense of his daughter, saying she never did what she was accused of and that he knows his daughter to be a disciplined and outspoken person. Despite all efforts to clear her name off the scandal, it lingered further until the news of her marriage surfaced. Currently, the actress is living out her life as a successful actress married and has one child.