Veteran actor Jide Kosoko has stated that the punishment for piracy in Nigeria is not strong, explaining that it is the cause of the increase in the menace.
In a recent interview, the movie star emphasised that piracy has significantly impacted the Nigerian movie industry and called for harsher penalties for pirates.
He said, “The punishment in the copyright law for piracy is still not strong enough as far as I am concerned. Somebody who has been pirating people’s works for years is a billionaire, so how much do you want to fine him?
“Fine him N500 million, and he will just bring it out of what he has sold. But if you attach a 20-year jail sentence to it with no option of a fine, people will refrain from piracy.”
The 71-year-old thespian lamented that despite his fame and over 60 years of experience in Nollywood, it hasn’t led to significant wealth although he believes he is comfortable.
“I have been in this [movie] industry for this long. I thank God that I can eat three square meals. But can I claim to be a rich man by Nigerian standards? No,” he said.
