Pentouch 
Esther Idowu Phillips or Iya Rainbow as popularly called turned 83 today.
The popular Veteran Nollywood actress, director and also a movie producer is an A-list actress born in Ijebu Ode Ogun State on 16, October 1942 to the family of Prophet Jacob Adebanjo Ifemade and Mrs Ifemade.
Idowu had her elementary education at African Methodist School before heading to Anglican Modern School for her secondary education.
She then proceeded to be trained as a nurse afterwards.
Idowu Philips worked as a nurse for 20 years after graduating from nursing school. She worked part-time with the group, gaining mastery of the art because her late husband was theatrically inclined and had a theatre group.
One of the most respected actresses and also one of the pioneers of the Nigerian movie industry Nollywood.
Iya Rainbow has appeared in hundreds of Nollywood English and Yoruba movies, she is no doubt a force to reckon with as far as the Yoruba movie industry and Nollywood is concerned.
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. Aside from all the good intellectual and natural qualities we have mentioned, Idowu Philips is a very beautiful woman and at her current age of 83 she still looks young and elegant.
Her stage name stemmed from the title of the group she belongs to, “Osumare” meaning “Rainbow” in English, since then she has been known to be Iya Rainbow or Mama Rainbow. Her stage name got more popular than her real name as most of her fans or Nollywood movie lovers never knew she was Idowu Phillips
Iya Rainbow was married to Augustine Ayanfemi Phillips before he died. They had 5 children together
Iya Rainbow has appeared in a number of films, both in English and in Yoruba. She rose to prominence with her role in Asiri Nla and has appeared in over 500 films since then.
The veteran actress has worked with a number of well-known and respected Nollywood actors and actresses, including Adebayo Salami, Ogogo, Odunlade Adekola, Yinka Quadri, Iya Awero, Jide Kosoko, and others.
