When it comes to acting in Nigeria, Madam Idowu Phillips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow, needs little or no introduction. She has acted in several Yoruba movies and soaps on television. She has won both the local and international awards too. Known for her unique headgear, Iya Rainbow, in this chat with MUTIAT LAWORE, spoke on her acting career, family challenges amongst others.
Considering your age, what is the secret behind your youthful look?
Well, I don’t eat much of heavy food, I exercise once in a while; I take lots of fruits and vegetables and I rest well.
How did acting start for you?
I started as a stage actress in my late husband’s Osumare Theatre Group. Even while I was working as a nurse, I still found time to go on location to shoot films. At 45 in 1986, I retired from nursing on the advice of the late Chief Hubert Ogunde. He (Ogunde) reasoned that since my husband died in 1984, there was the need for me to continue with the family legacy. So, I went into acting full time.
It was not easy at first, because I was formerly a salary earner. In fact, the first set of movies I acted in were Aje ni Iya Mi and Eru. My late husband’s group was called Osumare Theatre, meaning rainbow. One day, I went to act with some white men and in the course of acting, someone asked for the meaning of Osumare and I replied rainbow. Then he said I should henceforth be called Iya Rainbow and that was it. I have produced lots of movies, like Alamose Eniyan, Alepo Rebi, Anikolapo, Omodupe Oluwa, Orisa rebi, among others, but I have acted in over 500 movies.
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What else do you do apart from acting?
I anchor engagement and wedding ceremonies. It was even one of the people I did an engagement for that paid for the tiling of this floor. When he came to thank me, he was surprised to find out that I had not tiled the floor, so he offered to do it.
Is there anything you would like to correct in the industry, particularly in the Yoruba movie sector?
It is the issue of piracy and marketers. Some marketers are not sincere. Oftentimes, they pay you in bits and pieces, not minding how you sourced the money to produce the money. But when I was still active as a producer, my marketer, Corporate Pictures, was faithful to me. In fact, he bought that car (pointing at it) outside for me. But since he stopped doing business with me, God has not abandoned me.
He never cheated me. But I think since he realised that producers seldom feature me, he seems to have changed. So, now, when I visit him, he may welcome me or instruct his family to tell me that he is not available. Before now, he would make me most welcome in his house, but suddenly, he changed. I don’t even know why and I don’t want to bother myself about that. Though it hurts, God knows best.
Since your entry into the movie industry, what are the challenges you have had to face?
I faced lots of challenges but this is not about me alone; other people in the industry also face the same. Let me tell you some of the challenges. The issue of transportation to location is a difficult one for me. I have had to transport myself to and from different locations. At the end of the day, they would give me peanuts as pay. Most times, they would promise that they would pay later and I would not get to see the money.
For each of the movies, I was paid N25, 000. Imagine a widow with five children, surviving on such a meagre fee? It got to a point that I wanted to go back to nursing. A lot of people advised me against it. They thought my husband would be forgotten, but I must keep on struggling.
What of the challenges you faced outside acting?
When I lost my husband, a long time ago; that was in 1984, I thought the world would come to an end. It was difficult for me to cope as a woman, especially with the financial aspect. I had to continue from where my husband stopped and there was no money in theatre then. I had to meet one of my late husband’s friends, who said that I would have to sleep with him before I could get the money. I was shocked, because this was someone we all called father and a very close ally of my late hubby. Then, my marriage was another challenge.
I did not enjoy my marriage because my husband died a long time ago and since then, I decided not to re-marry. I have five children and they have all made me proud. God has been my pillar of support. My late mother was also a great helper; she took care of my children whenever I went to location. But I usually made it a point of duty to go to their schools whenever I was around to supervise their education.
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What I missed most about my mother is that I no longer have a bed partner. Ever since the death of my late husband, we had always slept together and now she is gone. Then whenever I went to locations, she was always there for me. Above all, my mother loved me so much; she had six of us and I was her only female child.
Why the sudden quit from the nursing job?
Like I said earlier, I stopped my professional job where I had worked for 20 years because I wanted to continue the family legacy, which is acting. This was my late husband’s job. Prior to my quitting, the late Chief Hubert Ogunde had advised to me to, which I did.
Can you tell us about your achievements?
I must confess that theatre has paid off for me because I have now built a house of my own, bought a car, and three out of my five children are graduates. One of my sons is a very popular writer.
Can you let us into the world of your early life?
My father was Prophet Jacob Adebanjo Ifemade. My late mother was also a captain of the Cherubim and Seraphim (C & S) Church. I hail from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, and I have been a member of the C&S since1969. I attended African Methodist School and Anglican Modern School for my primary and secondary schools, respectively. Later, I was admitted to a nursing school and upon graduation, I worked for 20 years as a nurse.
