Hermes Iyele Reveals: My Mom Left for 7 Years After Dad Lost His Job – A Childhood Marked by Abandonment and Pain

Popular Nigerian reality TV star and performance artist, Hermes Iyele, has made a deeply personal revelation about his family history, leaving fans shocked and empathetic. During a recent podcast interview, Hermes disclosed that his mother disappeared from their lives for seven long years after his father lost his job, a moment that marked the beginning of profound hardship for his family.

According to Hermes, the family struggled immensely during this time, emotionally and financially. With his father’s source of income abruptly cut off, the household descended into survival mode. His mother’s decision to leave at such a critical point added another layer of emotional trauma, creating a void that deeply affected him and shaped his perspective on love, trust, and resilience.

The Painful Impact of Abandonment on a Young Boy

Hermes recalled being just a young boy when his mother left without a clear explanation. The silence and lack of closure surrounding her disappearance haunted him for years. Left to navigate life with his emotionally burdened father, Hermes said he quickly learned the harsh realities of life, especially in a society where emotional vulnerability is often suppressed.

For years, Hermes said he wrestled with feelings of abandonment, confusion, and identity crises. He noted that while his father did his best, the absence of a maternal figure created a psychological scar that took years to process. This emotional trauma, he revealed, became a defining element of his expressive performance art and his worldview.

The Struggles of His Father After Job Loss

Hermes praised his father for standing firm despite losing his job and dealing with the subsequent collapse of his family unit. He described his dad as a “pillar of strength” who, despite being crushed under the weight of economic hardship, never stopped caring for his children.

He shared that his father’s descent into depression was gradual, yet deeply visible. There were days when there was no food, no electricity, and no support from extended family or society. The once-functional home became a space of pain and longing, but also of survival and tough lessons.

Mother’s Return and the Emotional Repercussions

Hermes eventually reunited with his mother after seven years, but the encounter was not as healing as he had hoped. According to him, her return brought more questions than answers. The emotional gap between them had grown so wide that rebuilding trust seemed almost impossible.

He admitted to battling resentment for years, struggling to reconcile the image of the woman who left with the one who came back. While he has since made strides toward forgiveness, Hermes acknowledged that the wound remains, and that some family traumas never fully fade — they merely become quieter over time.

How the Experience Shaped His Art and Identity

Today, Hermes is widely recognized not just for his appearance on reality shows like Big Brother Naija, but also for his bold performance art and eccentric style. He credits much of his artistic identity to the pain and chaos of his childhood. According to Hermes, dance and visual storytelling became his way of speaking truths he couldn’t voice as a child.

He uses his art to address issues such as family dysfunction, emotional repression, poverty, and resilience. His work is raw, often uncomfortable, and deeply human — qualities that have earned him a cult following both locally and internationally. Hermes says he channels his pain into purpose, turning trauma into creative fuel.

A Call for Open Conversations on Family and Mental Health

Hermes concluded his story by urging families, especially African households, to open up conversations around mental health, emotional neglect, and trauma. He emphasized that job loss, poverty, and abandonment are not just economic issues — they leave long-term psychological impacts that society often ignores.

He also called on mothers and fathers alike to understand the importance of presence in a child’s life, particularly during tough times. “Leaving doesn’t just create physical distance, it fractures the soul,” Hermes said poignantly. His story, though personal, echoes the experience of many Nigerian youths — and serves as a powerful reminder that behind every bold exterior is a story untold.