Christened Iretiola Olushola Ayinke from birth, the Ondo State actress/TV presenter is a popular screen delight who starred as Chief Taju’s 4th wife in Fuji House of Commotion, enigmatic Sheila Ade-Williams in Tinsel, Dozie’s (Banky W) powerful mother in the movie Wedding Party. You probably know all these, but how much of the actress do you know? Here are five fast facts of Ireti Doyle.
1. Ireti Doyle married her Boss
Office romance? Obviously. The 19-year Ireti Doyle must have owned the stage, delivered her lines effortlessly and looked beautiful all at the same time for Patrick Doyle to start thinking of matrimony during a mere audition. Ireti Doyle met her husband Patrick Doyle on a movie set. Patrick Doyle is a movie director/actor who took up Pastoral roles especially during the ’90s in the movie industry.
At the time, Ireti Doyle was already a single mum and Patrick Doyle just lost his wife. The two fell in love on set and tied the knots. During the years they lived together under the same roof, the marriage had so much effect on her career, took what was great about her and made it even better.
Though after 20 years of marriage it is rumored that the Power couples are no longer living together as the marriage is said to be dangling in the ropes. In a recent interview, the mother of six said she wants to focus on her career.
2. She had her first child aged 19
At 19, she wasn’t a girl anymore but a mother. While her mates were in school she was already nursing a baby. But Ireti Doyle is not the first celebrity who gave birth during their teenage days. Ireti Doyle is in the league of female celebrities who had their first baby during their teenage days. Others include Shan George, Omotola Jalade, Clarion Chukwura, Ada Emeh, Obot Etuk, Genevieve Nnaji and Lizzy Benson. However, being a mother at 19 made her an adult, but a young adult who she still had the exuberance of youth and a look of a movie star.
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On July 19, 2014, her daughter Ngozi Okafor got married and the marriage was witnessed by the Who’s Who in the Nollywood industry. Patrick Doyle played the role of the father of the day.
3. She speaks fluent Hausa
In a country where even people who have lived most of their lives in Nigeria push their nose at Nigerian language and pride in not knowing how to speak it at all or speak it well, Ireti Doyle speaks Hausa in addition to her native Yoruba. When she moved back to Nigeria from Boston, United States, she got admission to study theatre arts at the University of Jos. It is during his period in school that she made the effort to and learned to speak the most spoken local language in Nigeria.
4. Ireti Doyle is a lover of tattoos
Hello tonto Dike, we have found your Sister. The beautiful actress loves tattoos. In her interview with Punch in August 2014, Ireti Doyle revealed that she loves tattoos but we have not seen anyone on her body. There are those who love tattoos on others and can’t have it on their body. Perhaps this is the case with Ireti, or, a good possibility, her tattoos are marred in some private quarters of her body and only two people can tell us this for a fact. Ireti and Patrick Doyle.
5. The star started acting in 1995
She must be a lover of the nursery rhyme “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine”. Ireti Doyle started her acting career in 1995 and she has been consistent ever since then, starring in many roles; delivering lines and hosting of a fashion show “Oge” which was on air for 10 years. Ireti Doyle has developed to the actress who loves the joy of portraying emotions; easily fitting into the role of a fictional character, and breathing life into a form that is not physical. During these years, she has also become a scriptwriter, a producer and TV presenter.
Her Acting CV is loaded with numerous awards. She was first nominated in the Best Actress category at the Reel Awards in 1998 for her role in the movie All About Ere and twice in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category at the AMAA Awards in 2007 and 2009 for her roles in Sitanda and Across The Niger respectively and was declared Best Actress in a lead role at the GIAMA Awards in Houston Texas in 2013.
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Ireti Doyle also won the Best Actress in a lead role at the 2014 Nollywood Movie Awards for her portrayal of Ovo, in the psychological thriller Torn earning her an African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2015. In 2016, she was nominated at the 2016 Africa Movie Academy Awards in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category for her portrayal of Dr. Elizabeth in Ebony Life Films’ blockbuster.
