The Nigerian film business is full of talented people, and aside from enthusiasm and talent, it could also be linked to some performers who have — or had — parents in the profession. It may not have provided them direct access to the top, but it did provide some assistance to help them succeed as performers, as opposed to those who did not have parents who worked in the field. Let’s have a look at some Nollywood actors who you may not know had or had actor parents.
1. Sola, Bidemi and Temilade Kosoko
Bidemi, Sola and Temilade Kosoko are children of veteran Nollywood actor, Prince Jide Kosoko.
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Sola Kosoko
Sola Kosoko is an actress who has had a significant impact on the entertainment business, as well as the Yoruba film industry in general. Jide Kosoko’s eldest daughter, born on January 7, 1980, is her. According to her father, Sola initially showed little interest in performing. She aspired to be a lawyer, but her father began casting her in acting roles, which piqued her interest in the field. She is now a working actress in the film industry, having appeared in a number of films. She is married and has children.
Bidemi Kosoko
Bidemi Kosoko is one of the versatile and talented actresses in Nollywood and she was born December 21, 1988. She and Sola are sisters from the same mother. Bidemi developed an interest in movies right from when she was a little girl. According to her father, Bidemi usually follows him to auditions to see how they were acting. She is also married with a kid.
Temilade Kosoko is another stunning Nollywood actress that was born on April 27, 2000 and also her father’s daughter. Apart from being an actress, she is a comedian and dancer that has won many awards.
Temi is a regular face on Instagram and youtube skits. Sometimes she does skits with her father she has been doing her father proud with her comedy skits and acting talents.
2. Moji, Kunle, Aremu and Gabriel Afolayan
Adeyemi Afolayan died about 24 years ago from stroke complications but his memory lives on. Ade Love, as he was fondly called, was an actor, director, producer and playwright. Kunle, Gabriel, Aremu and Moji Afolayan have kept his legacy and are all respected and successful members of the Nollywood industry their father helped build.
Moji Afolayan – Olayiwola ( born 5 February 1968) is Ade Love’s first daughter and his only child to hold a real role in the late filmmaker’s movie. She first appeared in Iya Ni Wura (1985) as an extra, then in Idi Oromi in 1991, playing the lead role. Kunle Afolayan once said “My sister, Moji, featured in his last film, Eyin Oku (Events after death), in 1992. Moji has continued to appear in various movies since then. She has also dabbled into film production, releasing her first film, Tojubole in 2012. She appears more in Yoruba movies and is highly respected amongst her peers in that industry. She features in a lot of movies produced by her husband, Rasaq Olayiwola, popularly known as Ojopagogo.
Kunle Afolayan (born 30 September 1974) is arguably the most successful and dedicated of them all. Although his father tried to discourage him from acting and filmmaking, Kunle found his way back to the art. He had initially taken his father’s advice and studied business administration at Lagos State Polytechnic before taking a job at a bank. But he couldn’t stay away from filmmaking for too long. He got his first taste of acting as a ‘waka-pass’ on his father’s set but it was Tunde Kelani that gave him his first real acting gig. He featured on the highly acclaimed film titled Saworoide in 1999, playing the role of “Arese Jabata”. He went on to feature in a few other movies, all the while working in the Bank until 2005 when he resigned. He had gotten an idea for a movie and decided to enrol in a course in digital film-making at the New York Film Academy. When he came back to Nigeria, he set up his production company – Golden Effects Picture. He has since gone on to produce multiple feature films. He lifted the bar for storytelling, production and directing in modern Nollywood with the release of his 2006 movie, Irapada. Some of his other producer/director credits include, October 1, The CEO, The Figurine, Phone Swap, Mokalik, Roti and The Tribunal. He also acts in some of his movies, either in major or minor roles. Kunle Afolayan released Citation(2020) a movie that takes on the sexual harassment that is rampant in Nigerian universities, featuring billionaire daughter, Temi Otedola in her debut role. His latest release being A Naija Christmas(2021).
Aremu Afolayan (born August 2, 1980) is the youngest in the field, amongst the four popular siblings upholding their father’s legacy. He appeared in his first movie in 2007. He says he joined acting because of his passion and not because his father was an actor. Just like his elder sister, Moji, he appears mostly in Yoruba films. He believes that Jaiye Kuti’s 2008 movie, Ewon Laafin helped make him a popular name in the movie industry. Just like all of Ade Love’s children, Aremu also dabbled into production, releasing movies like Ina and Ina Fitila.
Gabriel Afolayan
Gabriel Afolayan (born March 1,1985) is a multi-award-winning Nigerian actor and singer. His stage name as a singer is G-Fresh. He got his first taste of acting in 1990 in F’Opawon, a film produced by Baba Sala. But he became popular after his appearance in Tade Ogidan’s 2005 movie, Madam Dearest. His role as ‘Akin’ on Super Story’s Nnena, however, cemented his place in Nollywood. Gabriel put in time and money into his training as an actor and it has made him one of the best acts in Nigeria. He first studied Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan and later went on to study performing arts at the Identity Drama School, Brixton, London. He has featured in multiple movies, most of which are blockbusters. Some of his movies include, Tatu, King Invincible where he plays the role of Prince Adetiba, Gold Statue and Okafor’s Law. Asides from being an incredible actor, he started his music career in 1997 as a backup singer. Under the name G-Fresh, he has released over thirty songs. He describes his music as ‘love ballads’. He also owns a multimedia company, Studio 6 and has an endorsement with a major telecommunications company, Airtel Nigeria.
3. Priscilla Ojo
Priscilla Ajoke Ojo born 13th March, 2001 is the beautiful daughter of popular Yoruba actress and producer Iyabo Ojo. Priscilla is also an actress, entrepreneur and model.
She started her acting career at a very tender age and has also featured in some of her mum’s movie. Priscilla was 14 when she was nominated for BON Award’s Best Child Actress. The nomination was for her role in the movie titled “Beyond Disability”.
4. Regina Daniels
Regina Daniels is the daughter of Nollywood actress, Rita Daniels. Rita Daniels is also a filmmaker, movie producer, politician, investor, entrepreneur and is the current chairman of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Delta State chapter. Regina Daniels, born 10 October 2000, has followed in her mother’s footsteps, who has helped nurture her since she was younger.
Regina started movie making at the age of seven. Her first movie was titled Marriage of Sorrow.
She is currently married to 59 year old billionaire, Ned Nwoko and on 29 June 2020, she gave birth to a baby boy for Nwoko.
Linc and Yul Edochie
Nollywood famous actors Yul and Linc Edochie are sons of Nollywood veteran actor, Pete Edochie.
Yul Edochie speaks exactly like his father and it is difficult to deny the similarities between them. Yul Edochie was born on 7th January 1982. Asides acting, Yul is a movie director and politician. In 2017, he contested for Governor of Anambra State and lost to his opponent Willie Obiano. In 2019, he wanted to run for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but later gave up and decided to support PDP Presidential aspirant Atiku Abubakar, who later lost the position to the incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari. He got married to May Yul in 2004 at the age of 22.
Yul’s elder brother, Linc Edochie is also involved in the movie industry with a good number of Nollywood movies to his name. He is a well-known actor, filmmaker, producer and director. He got married in 2010. Lincoln Edochie has been acting in Nollywood movies since 1995 before he took a long break from acting to concentrate on other things. Linc is back to the movie industry and has started acting again. He returned to Nollywood
in 2020.
6. Segun Ogungbe
Segun Ogungbe
Segun Ogungbe ( born 28 March 1970) is a popular Nigerian actor, film director and producer, known for blockbuster movie Ibi Giga. He is a son (some say he’s an uncle) of the late Akin Ogungbe, who was a Nigerian film actor, filmmaker, producer and director. The late Akin Ogungbe had 20 wives and 50 children, among his children is Segun Ogungbe. Segun Ogungbe has carved a niche for himself in the Yoruba movie industry and is happily married to 2 wives.
7. Femi, Sodiq and Tope Adebayo
Femi Adebayo also known as Jelili or Sonto alapata is a popular Nollywood actor. He is the son of veteran Nollywood actor Salami Adebayo aka Oga Bello.
Femi was born on 31st December 1978. Asides from being an actor, he is a Nigerian lawyer, director, producer and Special Adviser to the Governor of Kwara State on Arts, Culture and Tourism. He recently signed an ambassadorial deal with Startimes.
Sodiq and Tope aka Wedee are also sons of Oga Bello. Tope, popularly called as ‘Wedee Wedee’, is a director, actor and brand ambassador. He has produced movies like Sixty nine, Jelili, Onome Aganga, amongst others. He also stars in Funke Akindele-Bello’s movie Jenifa.
Sodiq is also an actor known for Aje metta (2008) and Aje metta 2 (2008) and is well known for his role as a movie producer in films like Omo Ghetto: The Saga (2020), The Monkey Men (2013) amongst others. Sodia Adebayo was Awarded City People Entertainment Award for Best Production Manager Of the Year (Yoruba).