In late 2020, Tems teamed up with Omah Lay, another Nigerian musician, for a live gig in Kampala – despite tight pandemic rules hanging around. The event kicked off normal enough but quickly spiraled out of control. A few hours later, both singers got hauled in by authorities, charged with acting carelessly in ways that could spread the virus
Even though event planners said permits were sorted, officials pointed fingers at the performers. Tems and Omah Lay got arrested, appeared in court, then spent two nights locked up in Uganda – a situation Tems called scary plus transformative. InyaRwanda+2The Standard+2
Trauma and Emotional Scars Behind the Stage
In a 2023 chat, Tems shared how the arrest shook her hard. At first, she believed it was merely a mix-up; however, things changed once they gave her an inmate outfit – fear kicked in right then. “I feared I’d stay locked up forever,” she admitted. That experience made her face fame’s ugly side along with what “success” often masks off camera.
Those two days meant way more than court issues – they taught her something tough about life. Looking back, it’s not just news stories she recalls, but panic, doubt, also how risky it felt to rely on broken promises from people in charge.
