EbonyHerald Stores Ebony Herald News24
Related Articles
Iyabo Ojo: A Crown-Wearing Warrior – A Salute to All Strong Women
Not all queens live in palaces. Some reside in modest homes, yet they wear their crowns with dignity and grace. One such queen is Iyabo Ojo, a woman whose story continues to stir hearts.
When news of her daughter Priscilla’s wedding to Tanzanian superstar Juma Jux graced the headlines, it wasn’t just about glitz and glamour. It was a testament to a woman who walked through fire and emerged unscathed, her spirit unbroken.
Iyabo’s journey as a single mother began over two decades ago. Alone with two young children, Festus and Priscilla. She faced a world that often frowns upon single women. Society pointed fingers, rumors flew, and judgments rolled in faster than offers of help. But she pressed on. She didn’t curse her fate; she converted her pain into fuel. She didn’t beg or break—she built.
She worked tirelessly, acted, hustled, sacrificed, and stayed awake many nights praying that her children would one day rise above their beginnings. Today, we witnessed a glimpse of her answered prayers as she watched her daughter walk down the aisle in a beautiful wedding that united two countries and cultures.
What touched many wasn’t just the wedding. It was the grace with which Iyabo handled everything. She embraced her ex-husband, allowing him the honor of walking their daughter down the aisle. A wise woman once said, “For the sake of your child, be bigger than your pain.” That’s exactly what Iyabo did. She chose peace over pride, wisdom over wounds.
This isn’t just about Iyabo Ojo. It’s about every woman who, against all odds, stands tall and strong for her children. Women who refused to allow heartbreak to define them. Women who didn’t sell their bodies or lose their minds, but found strength in God and dignity in labor.
They may not be on Instagram. They may not trend on Twitter. But they are raising children in silence and strength. They wake up before dawn, sleep late into the night, and smile through storms. Some fry akara, some sew clothes, some teach in schools, and some clean offices—but they are raising kings and queens with their own bare hands.
To all the women who stayed strong when it would’ve been easier to collapse…
To all the mothers who became both father and mother and still held their heads high…
To the women who skipped meals so their children could eat…
To those who wore worn-out wrappers but made sure their children were well dressed for school…
This piece is for you.
You are not just mothers. You are warriors. You are not defined by your marital status, you are defined by your courage, your sacrifices, your resilience, your love. When your children succeed and they will—the world will finally see what you’ve known all along: that nothing beats the strength of a woman who prays, who works, and who never gives up.
Iyabo Ojo’s story is a reminder. A reminder that it is not the absence of a man that breaks a home, it is the absence of love, of courage, of commitment. And it is a celebration. A celebration of mothers who never gave up, even when the odds were stacked against them.
You may not have everything, but you are everything to your children. And that, my sister, is more than enough.
Falilat Oreoluwa Dikko, author and public affairs analyst writes from Lagos Nigeria 22nd April 2025