Common was all smiles as he watched his daughter graduate from law school.
The beaming father shared a montage of moments from his daughter Omoye Assata Lynn’s graduation at Howard University on May 7. Among the clips were photos of the father-daughter duo embracing, family cheering her on and the proud graduate showing off the folder enclosing her diploma.
“There are no words to describe how proud I am!” began Common in the caption of the heartwarming post shared to social media. “Finishing law school at Howard University in 3 years is pretty AMAZING! Congrats to my daughter and all the graduates of 2022. Now go out in the world and be great!”
Howard’s School of Law, located in Washington D.C., is the oldest at a Historically Black College and University, and among the oldest law schools in the country. Omoye also completed her undergraduate stories at the prestigious HBCU.
Judging by photos, it’s hard to believe that Common and Omoye ever shared a strained relationship. In his memoir, “Let Love Have the Last Word,” the “Glory” emcee details how his daughter, then 19 years of age, shared that she felt abandoned and that he “didn’t fight” for her after his relationship with Omoye’s mother ended.
“It kind of shocked me because that’s the first time I had ever heard it,” he told PEOPLE in 2021, while promoting the book. The solution was hearing each other out. “We had a therapy session together, and I loved it,” he said. “Well, not everything that was said, but I knew it was something that would help her move forward. A woman’s relationship with her father definitely affects how she is in relationships.”
Another notable face among the Howard graduates was none other than actor Anthony Anderson. The “black-ish” star walked the commencement stage at age 51 to collect his bachelor of fine arts degree. The momentous occasion comes 30 years after Anderson first attended the school.
Anderson shared that he was inspired to return to school — he withdrew from school after his junior year due to a drop in finances — when his son, Nathan, was accepted in 2018. The duo planned to graduate together, but in the end Nathan chose to explore his potential as a music artist while his father completed his studies and finally obtained his degree.
