Why I refused to sleep with men after my husband died 36 years ago – Iya Rainbow

Veteran Yoruba actress, Idowu Phillips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow who lost her husband in 1984 has reportedly refused to sleep with any man since then. The actress who became a sensation after featuring in viral Airtel’s comic series of adverts has revealed that she chose not to marry after her beloved husband died.
The one-time interview with Punch where Iya Rainbow revealed that her husband died 36years ago has brought about the narrative of her being celibate since then.
Recall that in an interview with PUNCH some years ago Iya Rainbow, who still maintains her decision to not remarry has brought about her sexual life almost being nonexistent.
Coming after she founded a church in Ikorodu Lagos, after becoming a Reverend, the mother of five recalled the ordeal that made her lose interest in sleeping with any man again.
“I didn’t re-marry because many men are liars and I don’t like that. They come to your house, feel comfortable, you cook for them and probably have sex with them and then they say ‘I would see you tomorrow,’ but you will never see them again. I don’t like that. It is better for someone to carry one’s cross. It is just that it is not easy to raise children. I advise widows to walk in my footsteps, I know it is not easy not to re-marry but with prayers, God would help them.” She said
“Then, I did not even remember that I am a woman. I pray no one goes through what I went through. Then, the only time I remembered that I am a woman was when I wanted to ease myself. There were times I would be home and for three days, there would be nothing to eat. I would just be crying. I have a child in London now. When she was in secondary school, her friends had rich parents who always bought them provisions but what I did in our case was to stuff my daughter’s bag with newspapers. Then I would buy a few things and put them in the newspapers, so people would think the box was filled to the brim. I am just blessed with good children who are content with what they have. Seven of us used to stay in a one-bedroom apartment and when we drank garri, my children would be using toothpick in public as if they ate rice and chicken. I thank God that now, we are able to eat rice and chicken. When things were very hard for me,” she added
The now-famous 77-year-old script interpreter opened up that she can never give marriage a thought again, and she has sealed her heart against men.
“Over my dead body would I get married again. My husband closed (my heart) with a padlock and he went away with the key. I don’t trust the men of these days. There was one that said he wanted to marry me but he ran away after he saw all my kids. I have forgotten how to want a man. With five kids to cater for, I had no thoughts of that. In those days, I could go to four different locations in a day, to tell you how hard I was working to make money to take care of my children.” She said