Entertainment of Tuesday, 21 October 2025

Source: www.mynigeria.com

'He fled after seeing my 11 children' - Mama Rainbow opens up on why she never remarried

Actress Idowu Philips Actress Idowu Philips

Veteran Nollywood actress Idowu Philips, fondly called Mama Rainbow, has opened up about the heartbreaking reason she chose never to remarry after losing her husband decades ago.

In a recent emotional interview with actress Bimpe Akintunde, the 83-year-old screen legend revealed that her decision was born out of a painful experience with a suitor who couldn’t handle her reality as a widowed mother of eleven.

According to Mama Rainbow, shortly after her husband died in 1984, a man expressed interest in marrying her. But everything changed the day he visited her home.

“He came to my house, saw all 11 of my children eating with me, and asked if they were mine. When I said yes, he left and never came back,” she recounted.

That moment, she said, made her realize that her children were her true responsibility and that no one else would share the burden with her.

Instead of giving up, she devoted herself to raising them, taking on both parental roles despite the financial and emotional struggles that came her way.

“When that man left, I told myself marriage was no longer for me. My focus became my children and my work. God saw me through,” she added.

The beloved actress, who began her acting journey in the 1960s, went on to build a successful career in Nollywood and became one of the most respected names in Yoruba cinema. Her faith and resilience, she said, kept her grounded even when times were hard.

Now, at 83, Mama Rainbow looks back with gratitude, proud of the family she raised and the legacy she built.

“Everything I went through made me stronger. God stood by me when no one else did,” she said with a smile.