Veteran actor Jide Kosoko has opened up about the heartbreaking loss of three wives at different times in his life.
The 71-year-old Nollywood star, known for his contributions to the video film era and for producing Asiri N La in 1992, shared his experience during an interview on the Honest Bunch podcast.
He clarified that contrary to popular belief, he never had four wives at the same time.
Recalling the painful experiences, the Yaba College of Technology business administration graduate said, “They died in different circumstances. I lost three wives, and I’m still with one; by God’s grace, I hope I won’t lose her. But there is no doubt about it: losing a person, especially your wife, you know what it means. I didn’t have four wives at the same time. Don’t get it wrong because people are not getting it.
“I had two; I lost them. Then I married another two, then lost one. I do not support polygamy. Not everybody can be this lucky. Why would I say I’m lucky when I even lost my wives? I know it’s not the polygamous thing that caused that because all my wives cooperated.”
The Lagos-born actor also stressed the importance of couples consistently showing love to one another.
“The truth is, whatever you have, try as much as possible to show love at all times. When I lost my wives, I started thinking in different directions—was it because of the job I was doing? I was already popular then. I believed that whatever would happen would happen until I met a woman older than me who said she lost her husband and five children on the same day. Is that not worse? You use that as consolation.”
Jide also condemned the tendency of some men to take multiple wives after achieving financial success, insisting that such actions were unfair.
“There are some stupid idiots. They had a wife while growing up, but when money comes, they suddenly realise, ‘This woman is too low for them.’ Don’t they think it’s wiser to lift her? It’s vice versa because women do it, too.
“They’ll say, ‘This man I married—maybe he’s a tailor, and he was using his small money to support them—they now feel he’s too small.’ Who is small when there’s money, care, and love? Who is dirty or unworthy when there’s love, care, and money to care for them?”
Jide, who recently featured in Funke Akindele’s Everybody Loves Jennifer, continues to show his versatility. In the film’s soundtrack, he defied age by donning a Father Christmas outfit and effortlessly delivering rap verses with flair.
Beyond his career, Jide is also a father to several children, including actresses Shola Kosoko and Bidemi Kosoko.
His late wife, Henrietta Kosoko, was also an actress before her death in 2016.
