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I cried when they gave me my prison uniform – Tems on jail time in Uganda
Nigerian R&B singer Tems has provided further insight into her harrowing experience in a Ugandan prison, where she, alongside Omah Lay, was detained for two days in 2020 and faced charges related to flouting COVID-19 regulations.
The singer opened up about her ordeal, recounting how she was completely cut off from the outside world during her time in detention. She described her efforts to adapt to the grim prison environment, which was a stark contrast to her everyday life.
Tems began her narrative with her initial disbelief when she was taken from her hotel to the prison. She thought it was a joke at first, but her perception shifted dramatically when she arrived at the prison and was handed a uniform. The reality of the situation hit her, and she became emotional, shedding tears.
Her interview with Angie Martinez shed light on the challenges and emotional turmoil she faced during her imprisonment in a foreign country, offering a glimpse into the distressing experience she and Omah Lay endured during that time.
Tems said, “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. I was settling in because I adapted real quick and as I was walking in I started to cry because they gave me my uniform and it stunk because they don’t wash it.
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.”
During her time in the Ugandan prison, Tems remained hopeful, but she had reservations about a swift release. She observed that many of the women she befriended in the prison were incarcerated for minor offenses, and some were seemingly detained due to corrupt practices by prison guards who were financially motivated to keep them locked up. The prison’s structure prevented inmates from making phone calls unless they had money, which she did not possess at the time.
Tems shared a light-hearted anecdote from her time in prison, explaining how she used humor to cope with the challenging situation. She recounted how she would wink at the other women in the prison when they stared at her as she walked in.
She clarified that she did this out of nervousness, as a way to quickly adapt to her surroundings, and, most importantly, to avoid breaking down emotionally. This gesture served as a defense mechanism to hide her vulnerability and maintain her composure in a difficult environment.
She said to Martinez, “Once I walked in everyone turned and looked at me and whispering 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 head of the women’s prison took the time to brief Tems on the rules and regulations of the facility, along with the consequences for violating those rules. The most severe punishment was solitary confinement in a small cell with no access to food or water. In the prison, it was customary for inmates to kneel when speaking to officials, and they were provided with only one meal a day. Throughout her two days in detention, Tems chose not to eat and instead continued to sip water.
The ordeal began on the night of December 12, 2020, after Omah Lay and Tems performed at The Big Brunch event at Speke Resort, Wavamunno Road, Kampala, Uganda. Following their performance, they were charged by the Ugandan police for violating COVID-19 guidelines during the lockdown.
Back in Nigeria, a concerted effort was made to secure the immediate release of Tems and Omah Lay. Tems‘ manager’s father traveled to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, with the aim of discussing the matter with then-President Buhari, and eventually both artists were released and returned to their home country. The intervention and swift action from various parties contributed to their safe return.