I don’t regret leaving my marriage – Ini Edo

Popular Nollywood actress, Iniobong Edo Ekim popularly known as Ini Edo has revealed that she has no regret breaking up with her husband of six years.

Ini Edo got married to an American-based Nigerian businessman, Philip Ehiagwina in 2008 but walked out of the marriage in September 2014, following accusations of domestic violence and cheating.

The actress cited irresolvable differences and incompatibility as the major reasons for the crash of her marriage during a Channels Television programme, ‘Rubbing Minds’.

According to Ini Edo maybe, proximity could have saved her marriage since her former husband was in America and she in Nigeria.

 

“Maybe, being together would have helped keep us together. Because it would enable us to study and understand each other more. Maybe it would have helped but I’m not sure,” she said.

When asked if her estranged husband was comfortable with her kind of job, Ini Edo said:

“He met me an actress and I believe he was okay with that. Actually, he complained. My work takes my time and interferes with so many things. I tried to keep my (movie) roles as decent as possible when I got married.

“But naturally, there are certain roles you won’t be allowed to play. Even when you are allowed to play them, you can reject them not just because of your husband but you got relations as well.”

Asked if her former husband’s family interfered in her marriage, she said:

“He was the last child, so family members will try to see if their child is doing okay. “I try not to regret (the time I spent in my marriage) but I will say, it’s been an experience I have learnt a lot from. It made me a stronger person. It made me wiser and I think it actually made me more mature.”

Ini Edo’s marriage to estranged hubby Philip Ehiagwina was met with a lot of controversies as there were allegations that Iniobong stole her husband from his former wife, Ruth Okoro. Philip and Ini officially separated sometime in 2014 in a highly publicized breakup.

However, in January 2017, there were reports that Ini Edo was allegedly dating oil magnate and CEO of Stanel Oil, Stanley Ugochukwu who was previously married after she was seen in Dubai with him on vacation. But the actress didn’t confirm nor deny the allegations.

Ini Edo’s sojourn into Nollywood began in 2000 while she was still in university. She got her first movie role during a school strike when she accompanied a friend of hers to an audition for a part in the movie, “Child of Destiny”.

According to the actress, although she earned a degree in Theatre Arts, she never really set out to venture into acting. She initially wanted to go into law or become a television presenter.

The actress says her father was not in full support of her acting initially because he wanted her to first complete her education and also because she was very young at the time.

Ini Edo whose first movie ‘Thick Madam’ was done in 2003 has appeared in over 100 Nollywood movies. Her breakout role was in a 2004 film ‘World Apart’. In 2007, she featured in about 30 movies. Other movies she has starred in include: ‘Games Women Play’, ‘Games Men Play’ and ‘Reloaded’.