Big Brother Naija star Hermes Iyele has peeled back the layers of his vibrant public persona to share the emotional scars of his childhood, revealing that his mother abandoned their family for seven years after a devastating financial collapse.
In an intimate interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the 28-year-old dancer and reality TV star detailed the hardship his family faced after his father who once worked with UNICEF, lost his job and became a commercial bus driver. Hermes revealed:
“My dad was working with UNICEF before he started driving a bus.
“We had to move into an uncompleted building, but my mum said she couldn’t move in with us. She left that night and didn’t come back until seven years later.”
Despite the pain of his mother’s absence, Hermes expressed immense gratitude and love for his father, who took on the responsibility of raising the children with tenderness and resilience. Hermes said:
“My father raised us with so much love. He was a lover. The thing about love is, it’s the reason I still have so much love for my mum regardless.”
Though his parents had what he described as an unhappy marriage, Hermes said he now sees his mother’s decision as one made from a place of survival, not malice. He added:
“I know that my mum did what she did from a place of survival. I can’t fault her for that.”
This is not the first time Hermes has spoken about the deep impact his mother’s absence had on his childhood.
In a July 2023 episode of The Nancy Isime Show, he revealed the emotional void he felt in everyday moments growing up, particularly at school events where other kids had their mothers by their side. He recalled:
“My entire life was longing to have her around. I would be in school and see people’s mum come for PTA and I would feel like, ‘oh my God, my mum is so pretty… if she came here I would have so many friends.’ It never happened.”
Tragically, Hermes lost his mother, Isioma Iyele, in November 2024. He broke the news in a touching social media post.
Fans, celebrities, and fellow BBNaija housemates flooded his comment section with heartfelt condolences, many of them aware of how complicated yet deep his love for her had always been.
Today, Hermes is not just known as a former BBNaija Level Up housemate. He has also made waves for his bold fashion, body piercings, and outspoken nature, including his views on polyamory and emotional vulnerability.
