Why I Swore Never To Remarry After My Husband’s Death – Mama Rainbow Opens Up In Emotional Confession

Veteran Nollywood actress Idowu Philips, fondly known as Mama Rainbow, has revealed why she chose to remain single after the death of her husband decades ago.

Speaking in an interview with actress Bimpe Akintunde, the 83-year-old screen legend recalled a painful experience that cemented her decision never to remarry.

According to her, a man once expressed interest in marrying her, but his attitude changed after realizing she was raising 11 children on her own.

Mama Rainbow recounted that during one of his visits, the man saw the children eating with her and asked if they were all hers. When she confirmed, he quietly left the house — and never came back.

That moment, she said, made her vow never to remarry, a promise she has faithfully kept for decades.

She said:

“A man wanted to marry me after my husband’s death, but he ran away when he saw 11 children with me. He came to my house, saw them eating with me, and when I told him they were all my children, he left and never returned. Since then, I decided never to get married again, and I have remained single.”

Mama Rainbow, who lost her husband in 1984, singlehandedly raised her children while building a remarkable acting career that began in the 1960s. Today, she remains one of the most respected matriarchs in Nollywood — celebrated for her strength, faith, and lifelong devotion to family.