For hundreds of African divorcees, widows, and single parents, returning to the dating pool means facing a wall of silent shame and public judgement. Late one night, corporate finance analyst Tega Ogaga watched an online comment section brutally attack a single mother of three who dared to ask for love again. Disturbed by the cruelty, he decided to build an answer: Runo—a trust-first relationship platform designed specifically for those brave enough to search for a second act. In his latest feature, JOHN ADOYI explores the unspoken taboos surrounding second-chance romance in Africa, and how one founder is building a digital sanctuary free from apology or explanation.
Late one night in 2025, Tega Ogaga sat in the quiet of his room, staring at a laptop screen that refused to cooperate.
As a corporate finance analyst, he was used to complex numbers, but a colleague had passed along a broken financial model, and Ogaga had brought the problem home. When his own attempts to fix the figures hit a brick wall, he put his work aside and picked up his phone to clear his head.
Scrolling through Facebook, he came across a post on a community matchmaking page. A single mother with three children had written a short, vulnerable message explaining that she was ready to start over and hoped to find a partner.
Originally published by TechCabal.