Our Reporter
Idowu Philips, Iya Rainbow, as popularly called, is a Nollywood actress, director and a movie producer. She is one of the most respected actresses as well as one of the pioneers of the Nigerian Nollywood industry.
She is a woman of substance, a successful woman, a mother, an influential personality and also a great role model to upcoming actors and actresses. Iya Rainbow started her acting career in the 90s and has appeared in hundreds of Nollywood English and Yoruba movies.
Idowu Philips was born on the 16th of October 1942 in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State the South-Western region of Nigeria. Idowu Philips attended elementary and secondary school in Ijebu Ode in Ogun State where she was born and raised. She later attended a Nursing school after she graduated from Secondary school.
As a practicing Nurse, Iya Rainbow worked for years before venturing into acting. She actually started acting after the death of her husband Augustine Ayanfemi Phillips who worked with Hubert Ogunde.
Her stage name streamed from the title of the group she belongs “Osumare” meaning “Rainbow” in English, since then she has been known to be Iya Rainbow. Her stage name got more popular than her real name as most of her fans or Nollywood movie lovers never knew she bears Idowu Philips.
The drama group Osumare was created by the late Sir Hubert Ogunde, who died in 1990. Osumare group was the hottest group in town then, specialising in entertaining Nigerians.
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