“My Mum Walked Away When We Hit Hard Times”- BBNaija’s Hermes

• Hermes Chibueze Iyele, a former Big Brother Naija housemate, shared his emotional upbringing story.
• His father, previously employed by UNICEF, lost his job and faced financial difficulties.
• The family’s situation worsened, leading his father to drive a commercial bus.

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Hermes Chibueze Iyele, has shared an emotional story about his upbringing and how his late mother left the family after his father lost his job.

Speaking during an interview on WithChude, Hermes revealed that his father, once employed by UNICEF and known for his frequent travels, eventually fell on hard times and resorted to driving a commercial bus. As the family’s financial condition worsened, they were forced to move into an uncompleted building a difficult transition that marked his mother’s departure.

“When things got bad, we moved into an uncompleted building. My mum didn’t want to come with us, so she left that night and didn’t return for seven years,” he said.

Despite this, Hermes made it clear that he bears no resentment toward her. He credited his father for raising him and his siblings with deep love a love that still influences how he sees his mother.

“My dad raised us with love, and that’s why I still have love for my mum today. Their marriage wasn’t happy, and maybe she just did what she had to do,” Hermes explained.

He added that while the cause of his father’s financial decline remains unclear, he suspects mismanagement may have contributed, though he prefers not to dwell on it.

Hermes has previously opened up about how deeply his mother’s absence affected him growing up. She passed away in November 2024.