Nollywood actress Bidemi Kosoko has hit back hard at online critics who refused to accept that she recently turned 40. The daughter of veteran actor Jide Kosoko celebrated the milestone on October 21 with friends and colleagues from the industry. Yet days later, skeptics flooded her comments claiming she was younger, with some insisting she was born in 1988 and others saying they grew up with her in Abule Egba and knew she could not possibly be 40.
On Thursday, the actress took to Instagram with videos and screenshots of the comments. She shared what she described as her original birth certificate, which lists her date of birth as October 21, 1986. Some critics had even accused her father of deliberately inflating her age in his birthday message. Bidemi made it clear she was tired of the noise.
She labeled those questioning her age “stupid and daft people chasing clout on the internet.” In one of the videos she asked directly:
“I was born in 1986. My dad also came out and told you guys I was born in 1986. What exactly do you want with my age? What will it do to you?”
The actress explained that the constant insults had forced her hand.
“I should not have bothered about this. But this is getting too much. You just keep insulting me. Some are even saying Sola also lied about her age. What is your problem? Does she look like a baby? My sister is 46, going to 47 by January. I am not even her immediate sibling. We have three siblings in between us.”
She also addressed claims from people who said they lived in the same Abule Egba neighborhood.
“For those of you saying we lived in Abule Egba together. I can be playing with different people, yet we are not of the same age. I used to reduce my age before and it was even my dad who cautioned me. Why will I not celebrate this. This is 40. It is a round figure.”
Bidemi stressed that lying about her age would be difficult.
“I cannot even lie about my age. My dad was not around when they gave birth to me. It was some of his colleagues who stood in as parents for him on my naming ceremony. If I lied, those people would come out and disregard my claim.”
In a later caption she added that she was done discussing the matter. She told supporters she only spoke up because the dragging had become annoying and asked true fans to keep praying for her.
The actress has built a solid career in Yoruba Nollywood films over the years and comes from the well-known Kosoko family.