Madam Esther Idowu Philips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow, has come a long way. As one of those who pioneered what is today booming as the Yoruba theatre, the nurse-turned-actress could be rightly said to have paid her dues. She shared her story with AZUH ARINZE. Excerpts…
Cay we meet you?
I am Mrs. Esther Idowu Philips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow. I was born on October 15, 1942. I had my primary school at Anglican School, Lagos and my secondary school at St. Mary’s Holy Cross, Lagos. Then, I proceeded to the School of Nursing, Awolowo Road, in 1962. I practiced as a nurse for 20 years before I went into theatre.
When did you go into the theatre world?
I had been in the theatre world since the 70s, when I was still a nurse.
What inspired your becoming a nurse in the first place?
It was an experience I had when I was very young. I was having a game of Tente with a friend of mine and she mistakenly lost her balance, collapsed on me and used her three front teeth to inflict a deep cut on my forehead (shows us the mark) and I was subsequently rushed there. I was not immediately attended to because the nurses were indifferent, and there were so many people suffering in the hospital, unattended to and it was there and then I decided I would become a nurse.
When was that?
Oh, it was a very long time ago. I can’t really remember.
How was the experience as a nurse for 20 years?
For the 20 years I practiced as a nurse, there was no day I went home without a present. Even when I told them I wanted to leave, I was at the Mainland Hospital (IDH), Yaba, Dr. Akinosho was in-charge then refused to let me go because I was so good to the patients. To the extent that they preferred coming to the hospital only when I was on shift because they believed I would give them good attention. I even gave money to some to buy their drugs if I discovered that they didn’t have money. That’s the sort of nurse I was, and I really enjoyed the experience.
What’s your most memorable experience as a nurse?
There are lots of experiences, but there was this funny experience I had. A woman brought a very sick child to me one day, and I was very angry that she let the child become that sick before bringing her and I really reproached her for doing so. So, I admitted the child and gave the best medication I could that day. The next day, I came to work, I met the woman and she told me that her husband wanted to see me and I went with her only to discover that her husband is Mr. Balogun of the Balogun Theatre who happens to be my husband’s relative.
What’s the woman’s name?
She’s the one popularly known as Abeni Saje Wura, but I didn’t know her then.
What then made you leave the profession?
It was my husband’s death (late Femi Philips, founder of Osumare Theatre Group). There was nobody to really coordinate the group as he did. The late Pa Ogunde, when I went to see him, advised that I should try as much as possible to take over from where my husband stopped so that his name and legacy would live long, even after he was gone. So, I decided to quit nursing to face theatre squarely and I thank God today that I did.
What year did your husband die?
It was on January 22, 1984. After the eighth day prayer, we did a meeting with the members of his group and they decided that they would remain with the group and that Mr. Tajudeen Gbadamosi should become the leader.
So, you left IDH as a nurse in 1984?
No, I left IDH two years later, in 1986.
How did you meet the late Mr. Philips?
I met him as the matron of Osumare Theatre.
Kindly describe the circumstances that led to this…
They usually did their rehearsals near my house then every evening and sometimes they will come to borrow things from me. They just brought a letter one day that they’d like me to become their matron and I accepted. Some other time, they would be having their anniversary, I attended. It was on one of those days that the late Femi Philips spoke to me and we began our affair.
Do you still remember the date?
Of course, I do.
May we know it?
It’s not necessary.
What was the first thing he said to you?
He said Idowu is my name (Idowu is also his mother’s name); that he believed that if he married me, there would be someone to leave the group to whenever he travelled.
What did he say attracted you to him?
My voice, way of singing and my kind of person.
What attracted you to him?
He was full of action. All his stories reflect his personality, like Onikoyi and Bashorun Gaa. He was an action man.
How did you now see acting when you started out?
It was hard, really hard, because you had to undergo a lot of training and there was not much money in it. It was really hard.
What were the problems you encountered?
Because all our plays were mostly traditional plays then, we did a lot of cramming for plays like Alaafin Jaagun, Alaafin Kanran, Alaafin Madigbolu and Ifoe be Tide. If you can’t read your lines, you were kicked, slapped or thrown a drum at. And lack of finance too.
How was the working relationship with your late husband?
With him, it was always business as usual. Once it got to rehearsals, he didn’t recognize even his wife. He might get home and help you treat a broken nose or a torn eye, but during rehearsals, he didn’t know anybody.
Kindly recount a memorable experience with him?
Aimoye (so many) experiences. There are lots of experiences, but one thing I know is that all my salary then went into printing posters and hiring halls. We used the Glover Hall then mostly and at the end of our performances, he would first settle all the performers and all other persons before coming to me. His excuse then was that if we didn’t settle the performers first, they won’t be happy.
How will you describe him, the late Femi Philips?
(Ah! Okurin ni) He was a man. A man that’s worthy to be called a man and he loved children. He only hated dullards. His spoken English didn’t show he was a Yoruba theatre practitioner because he worked at the German Institute, University of Lagos then.
Was it when you started working with your husband you met Mr. Tajudeen Gbadamosi?
Yes, it was when I started working with my husband. He was the second in command to my husband in the Osumare Theatre Group then.
What was the relationship between you and Mr. Gbadamosi like then?
The relationship between us was like the relationship between me and every other member of the group then.
Why didn’t your remarry when your husband died?
(Mi o le remarry) I can’t remarry. I have five children already and men of nowadays are liars. I can’t marry them. One of them used to come to my house when I was on the Island. He came to my house one night and met my children eating a full bowl of eba and egusi soup. When they finished and went out, he asked me: who were those people? And I told him: my children. He asked: all of them? And I said yes. That was the last time I saw him. He never came back again. That is just to show you they are all liars. They will just use you anyhow and tell you, ‘I will see you tomorrow and they will never come back’. I can never subject myself to that.
Does that mean you’ve not had any other real proposition after that?
There might have been, but I just don’t want it. When I don’t show you my soft side, how will you approach me?
How did you come by the name Iya Rainbow?
We are known as the Osumare Theatre Group. Osumare means rainbow, I was known as Iya Osumare, it was when I began doing outside productions that Osumare was changed to Iya Rainbow.
You started with the stage?
Yes, I did.
How do you see stage productions in the country?
Anybody that wants to do a stage production must be prepared, really prepared to do so in this country.
What do you mean by he must be really prepared?
Because it costs a lot of money. You must do a proper rehearsal, at least for a month. And in the course of rehearsing, you have to tip your performers or else they won’t come again, which is what is happening now. The performers believe that if they are on film locations, they will earn more. If our millionaires can help us with sponsorship, we will do very good stage productions. I have lots of scripts at home that I’ll love to produce, but everything is being scuttled due to lack of sponsorship.
Are you also of the opinion that stage is dead in the country?
No, stage is not dead in the country. We still do stage. ANTP does every Sunday. It’s just that it’s not as it should be, due to sponsorship.
Considering the advent of home videos and its effect on stage productions, what do you have to say?
The main effect is that practitioners now prefer to do home videos because you get more money there compared to stage productions where you are paid peanuts. I don’t really blame them because they have their own responsibilities to perform at home. Like in my case where I am the father and also the mother of my children. I will only advise that we should try and give those who undertake to do stage productions moral support which was lacking at the premiere of Olu Omo, when virutally all the invitees didn’t show up.
Stage and home video, which do you prefer?
I prefer stage because if you don’t train on stage, you are not an actor. All these video stars we are making noise about are not it. They are just opportunists.
How will you define acting?
Acting is something vibrant, it is an act in itself.
Why don’t you feature in English productions?
Because they don’t call me. They have their own Iya Rainbow. If they call me, I will perform.
Why don’t you produce one yourself?
If I see a sponsor today, I will produce, because if I want to produce, I’ll want to do it accordingly.
Are you implying that it costs more to produce an English movie compared to Yoruba movies?
Of course (voice rises). Had it been that we want to produce it like our normal movie, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But now we have to produce to conform to established standards. It’s not as if we don’t have good actors that can produce. We do. If I get a sponsor today, I assure you, Baba Suwe will speak the standard English.
Have you attempted producing one before?
Of course; I still have the script.
Who and who did you speak with?
Lots of them. I’ll leave them to their conscience. I won’t mention their names.
Why do you like playing the role of a tough mother-in-law in most of your movies?
Because I am a tough woman and mother. They believe that, that is the best way to pass across my message of keeping a happy home. Most homes had broken down because of the antics of the mother-in-law.
The standard of acting when you started, compared to now, what is the difference?
It has increased. The standard has really risen to the extent that if Iya Rainbow doesn’t meet up now, they will sideline her.
Your favourite role?
The role of a mother; I love it.
Best movie?
Ojo Atisun. I played the role of a mother.
Worst movie?
Ojo Atisun, the end was terrible.
What’s your lowest fee?
In home video, N250 in Aje ni Iya mi.
What about on stage?
N300, in Segun Remi’s Olu Omo. There weren’t many people. He just shared the title he made.
What’s your favourite colour, food and music?
I love Iyan (pounded yam) and egusi soup; colour is blue and music, Ebenezer Obey.
How will you describe yourself?
Someone that is always happy.
With your years of experience, how do you see life generally?
Ah! Life is tough, very tough and hard. I’ve experienced a lot of things since my husband died. It is just these past few years that I can say I am now getting relieved. I have used ground pepper and fish of N5 to cook soup before. Life is not easy, but I thank God today.
But some actors promised to help when your husband died?
Sure. They promised, but didn’t fulfill it. It wasn’t even up to a year after that, that the old group broke up. Segun Remi (Kanran) was the first to leave before others followed and Kokonsari, the founder of Olukoso Theatre Group. That was how they left. Only Tajudeen and a few others remained. There was no fulfillment of any promise. So, it wasn’t easy.
Aside Segun Remi, may we know the other known members of the group?
There were many of them: Latupa, Alfa and others.
What will you like to be known for when you eventually take your exit?
As a mother, a worthy mother.
Your saddest moment in life?
When my husband died.
Kindly describe the circumstance
Like I said earlier, he died on January 22, 1984. He had been sick for some time, we didn’t know the nature of the sickness. We only knew that he kept growing lean. I thought it was tuberculosis (TB), so I took him to IDH where I worked, but they couldn’t diagnose the sickness. So, I had to take him home to his parents at Awe for traditional treatment where he was before finally giving up the ghost. All I know is that when he gave up the ghost around 3.30am in the morning of that day, a greenish substance poured out from his mouth.
And the Baba attending to him didn’t diagnose what this was too?
He didn’t say much. When we got there, he just asked us to buy ram and give that ram some food to eat; that if that ram eats the food before 12a.m my husband won’t die, but if it doesn’t eat it he will die. Unfortunately, the ram didn’t eat the food and my husband died. It was three days after he died that we learnt he was poisoned when he went out to drink with some friends.
Did you find out the name of the perpetrator of that act?
No. I didn’t. I left eveyrthing in the hands of God because I believe we will all die one day.
For how long was he sick?
Ah, he was sick for good two years, two years of agony.
What’s your aspiration for the next millennium?
Let’s leave that in the hands of God because man proposes, God disposes.
Finally, what’s your advise to upcoming artistes?
It’s not easy to achieve anything in life, but if you persevere, endure and with God’s blessing, you will get there.