“We Feared Social Media Would Take Our Jobs” — Jide Kosoko

Veteran Nigerian actor Jide Kosoko has recalled the uncertainty that greeted the arrival of social media among older practitioners in Nollywood, saying many initially feared the technology would take their jobs.

Kosoko made the disclosure in an interview with Sunday Scoop, published on September 27, 2026.“Is this not going to kick us out?”

Reflecting on the industry’s transition from traditional media to digital platforms, Kosoko said older practitioners initially viewed social media with apprehension.

“When social media came, we were afraid. Is this not going to kick us out of business? Is this not going to kick us out completely?”

The concern was understandable at the time. Social media changed how films, skits and other entertainment content reached audiences.

It also created new routes into the industry, particularly for younger creators who understood digital platforms better.

Younger colleagues helped veterans adapt

Kosoko said the older generation eventually benefited from the computer skills of younger colleagues. He explained that many younger practitioners were more comfortable with computers and digital platforms and helped older actors navigate the new environment.

“We eventually used it to our advantage, so we have to thank God for that.”

His account therefore does not suggest that social media simply replaced the old generation.

Instead, it describes a period of adaptation in which established practitioners had to learn how to operate in a rapidly changing entertainment environment.

From social media to artificial intelligence

Kosoko’s concerns have now shifted from social media to artificial intelligence. He admitted that he still does not fully understand AI.

“When I started seeing AI, I still don’t understand it till now.”

The comment reflects another technological transition confronting the entertainment industry. AI is already affecting scriptwriting, image generation, voice production, editing and other creative processes.

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For veteran practitioners who have already lived through the disruption caused by social media, the latest technology represents another major adjustment.

Kosoko’s experience offers an unusual historical perspective: yesterday’s technology once appeared threatening, only to become a tool that established practitioners eventually learned to use.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Nollywood veteran’s comments place today’s AI debate within a longer history of technological disruption in the Nigerian entertainment industry.