Former Big Brother Naija housemate and performance artiste, Hermes Iyele, opened up about the challenges he faced while growing up, including his father’s financial troubles and his mother’s sudden disappearance.
Hermes shared his story during a conversation with media personality Chude Jideonwo, which was published on YouTube.
He revealed that his childhood began in comfort, as his father once worked with the United Nations Children’s Fund and travelled the world.
However, everything changed when the family’s finances collapsed, and his father went from being a top-level worker to driving a bus to survive.
The financial crisis forced the family to relocate into an uncompleted building.
According to Hermes, that decision led to his mother walking away from them.
She left that same night and did not return for the next seven years.
Hermes said he and his siblings were still young at the time and had to grow up without their mother.
He explained that his mother may have left because she could not handle the situation they found themselves in.
Despite this, he said he never allowed anger or bitterness to grow in his heart toward her.
He recalled that his father raised them with deep care and affection, even though they had very little.
He credited his father’s loving nature for helping him continue to love his mother, even after her long absence.
ALSO READ
Hermes also spoke about his parents’ troubled marriage, suggesting that his mother may have done what she felt was best for herself at the time.
He had previously mentioned her absence in 2023.
She reportedly passed away in November 2024.
