Veteran Nollywood actor, Jide Kosoko, has addressed the controversial issue of sex-for-role in the Nigerian movie industry, advising actresses to stand their ground and firmly say no when such propositions are made.
Speaking as a guest on the Honest Bunch podcast, Kosoko emphasized that no actress is ever forced into accepting sexual advances in exchange for movie roles. He noted that every actress has the power to reject inappropriate offers from filmmakers.
“If anybody introduces anything to you and you’re not interested, say no,” the seasoned actor stated.
While acknowledging that the sex-for-role issue exists in Nollywood, Kosoko clarified that his comments should not be seen as support for the practice. Instead, he stressed that actresses who willingly accept such offers must take responsibility for their decisions.
He said, “I don’t understand. If I say I need you to come and warm my bed so that I can give you this role, and you say no—you don’t want—that’s the end. They cannot force you. But if you accept, that means you want to dance to his tune. I’m not saying the man is right, but if you fall for it, that’s your business. Why make it a public issue?”
Jide Kosoko also spoke about the extent to which some aspiring actresses go in their quest for fame. He revealed that there are women—some of whom are now popular—who deliberately entered the industry with the mindset of using sex as a tool to climb the ladder.
“Forget about all these sex-for-role accusations. I know ladies who came into the industry determined to sleep their way to the top. I know popular actresses who did this. I even know a magistrate,” he added.
Jide Kosoko’s comments have reignited conversations around ethics, power dynamics, and personal responsibility within the Nigerian film industry.
“If I say I need you to come warm my bed before I can give you a particular movie role and you say you don’t want, just go, they cannot force you to do that. But if you want that role by all means……” – Jide Kosoko makes shocking revelations about the sex for role thing in the… pic.twitter.com/BDgIJ1RgbB
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) March 23, 2025