By Prosper Mene
In a BBC World Service interview that has Naija parents everywhere taking notes, Ify Adenuga – mother to grime superstar Skepta and his equally talented siblings – has revealed the radical parenting shift that turned her London home into a launchpad for global success.
The mum-of-four, who left Nigeria for the UK in 1980, grew up under the strict, fear-filled discipline common during the Biafran War era. But when she had her own children, she made a promise to herself: “I’m not going to raise my kids the way I was raised.” No more beatings, no more “children should be seen and not heard.” Instead, she and her husband Joseph Sr. chose love, freedom, and conversation as their guiding principles.
That decision paid off in ways no one could have predicted.
Ify turned their living room into a creative playground where her children – Skepta (Joseph Jr.), JME (Jamie), Julie, and Jason – could lounge all day, blast music, brainstorm ideas, and simply be themselves. “For us Africans and Black people generally, majority, we decorate the sitting room where children don’t stop over in the sitting room,” she explained. “They can do anything they like in the sitting room as long as they tidy up. It gave them that space to come up with ideas… And that’s how the idea of music as well started in the house.”
She didn’t just create the space, she showed up. Ify would drive her sons to late-night music sessions in gritty parts of London and wait patiently in the car for hours while they perfected their craft. She supported their passions without judgment, even as Skepta and JME built the legendary Boy Better Know crew that changed UK grime forever. Her daughter Julie became a pioneering broadcaster and DJ, while Jason carved his path in production and animation. All four siblings credit their parents’ approach of open communication, shared gadgets, freely expressed “I love yous,” and zero pressure to follow a scripted path.
“Ify’s philosophy was simple: happiness and freedom first,” sources close to the family recall from her earlier interviews, including her British Vogue parenting guide. She openly admits when she gets things wrong and always asks her children what they want – not what she wants for them.
Today, Skepta is a worldwide music icon with chart-topping albums, major collaborations, and a career that has spotlighted Nigerian-British excellence on the global stage. JME continues to dominate in rap and business, Julie’s voice remains a cultural force on UK radio, and the entire Adenuga clan stands as living proof that breaking generational cycles of fear-based parenting can create legends.
Ify still beams with pride when she listens to her sons’ tracks. “In his songs, I can see him telling tales about how he grew up. I love listening to his songs,” she shared.
Mums and dads, this one’s for you! Ify Adenuga’s story shows that raising successful children isn’t about being perfect or traditional – it’s about giving them wings, believing in their dreams, and creating a home where creativity can breathe.
From surviving the Biafran War as a child to raising a creative dynasty in London, Mama Ify has shown the world what happens when love replaces fear.
