Veteran Nollywood actress Ireti Doyle has explained why she chose not to publicly address or take legal action against her ex-husband, Patrick Doyle, following the end of their marriage.
Speaking during an interview with Morayo Afolabi-Brown, the actress was asked why both she and her former partner remained silent about their separation and what the experience taught her.
In her response, Ireti made it clear that she never felt obligated to share details of her private life with the public. According to her, matters surrounding their breakup were not for public consumption, stressing that only close family and friends deserved any form of explanation.
“First of all, you didn’t hear anything because it wasn’t your business. Two people come together to get married, and there’s a celebration. Sadly, something goes wrong, and you can no longer continue your journey together. The only people you owe an explanation to, if at all, are those small family and friends who gathered on day one.”
She went further to criticize the culture of public validation on social media, noting that online audiences are often indifferent to people’s real struggles. The actress emphasized that she refused to turn her personal life into content for public consumption.
“You see, the larger audience you’re performing for does not care. I personally would never knowingly give myself up as clickbait. You’re never going to win, so who are you explaining your matter to?”
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Reflecting on the emotional toll of separation, especially after a long-term union, Ireti described such experiences as deeply painful. However, she encouraged a more introspective approach rather than public outbursts.
“The end of a long-term relationship, let alone marriage, is painful. Whatever the circumstances, not apportioning blame is painful. You need to spend the energy you’re using to perform for an audience who doesn’t care to sit down, go deep within, understand what went wrong for the sole purpose of not making the same mistake again.”
Prompt News reports Ireti and Patrick got married in 2004, and news of their divorce was publicly confirmed by the actress in 2023. Despite the separation, she disclosed that she would retain her ex-husband’s surname, explaining that she had spent many years building her professional identity around it.
