In a recent interview with radio show host Angie Martinez, Nigerian singer Tems shared her harrowing experience of being detained in Uganda for two days alongside fellow artists Omah Lay and Donawon. The incident took place shortly after the COVID-19 curfew had been lifted in the country, following their performance at The Big Brunch on December 12, 2020, held at Speke Resort, Wavamunno Road, Kampala, Uganda.
Tems clarified that they hadn’t violated any regulations, and their arrest, instead, was orchestrated by a local artist who had threatened to take action against them. The event organizers claimed to have a permit for the show, and people were already in attendance, as COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted. Despite this, Tems and her manager found themselves detained by Ugandan police while having lunch in her hotel room after the performance.
The talented singer spent two nights in prison, where she feared she might not be released due to her lack of communication with the outside world. Without a phone or means to stay informed about efforts for their release, she began to accept her situation and believed that there might be a greater purpose for her being there.
Tems recalled her time in prison, saying, “I thought I wasn’t gonna come out. I thought I was seeing it for a reason like maybe I was meant to help the people.” She adapted quickly to her surroundings and described the difficult conditions: “It was a small room, and there was nothing, there’s just the floor they give you blankets and tissues, and you’re just on the floor, no bed, and I did it for two days. I didn’t even know I was going to get out, I didn’t have any ears on the ground, nobody told me anything. Outside, everyone was like ‘free Tems, free Omah Lay,’ but inside I was just hopeful, waiting.”
Tems also revealed her interactions with other women in the prison, many of whom were incarcerated for seemingly minor reasons, including some who had been locked up by their own husbands. Shockingly, some of these women were in jail with their children. She shared her initial experiences within the prison, stating, “Once I walked in, everyone turned and looked at me, and I was like, ‘What have I done? I can’t cry,’ and I just started winking, that was my way of adapting. I must show these people that I’m confident, so I started being extra, winking and saying hi, and they were laughing.”
The incident involving Tems and Omah Lay occurred after their performance, as they were charged with flouting COVID-19 guidelines following the lifting of lockdown restrictions. The artists’ detention shed light on the challenges they faced during their time in Ugandan custody, leading to a broader discussion about the justice system and conditions within Ugandan prisons.
