Tems talks prospects of return to Uganda

Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi aka Tems has opened up about why she has avoided a return to Uganda. 

She revealed last night that her 2020 arrest in an East African nation is the reason she has not returned since. 

During an X Q&A session, a fan asked why she never came back to Uganda, writing, “What’s the lore behind you not coming to Uganda?”

Her answer referred plainly to her traumatic experience behind bars where she spent two days.

She merely shared an image of her in court 

The incident dates back to 12 December 2020, when Tems and fellow Nigerian singer Omah Lay performed at a concert in Kampala

The show took place at a time when COVID-19 restrictions were in force. 

Uganda police alleged the performance violated lockdown and social-distancing protocols, charging the artists with “negligently doing acts likely to spread infectious diseases.” 

They were arrested and remanded to prison: Tems was sent to Kigo Prison while Omah Lay was held in Kitalya Prison. 

Public uproar followed their arrest, with several Nigerian and African artists demanding their release. 

In a 2023 interview, Tems recounted the ordeal. She said she spent two nights in prison, a time during which she believed she might not get out. 

“I thought maybe I was going through it for a reason,” she said. 

Tems insisted the concert had been legally permitted. She described police arriving at her hotel — while she and her manager were eating — and taking them away. She called it “a setup.” 

She said she mentally prepared herself for the worst. Though she adapted quickly to survive the ordeal, the memory clearly stayed with her.