Nigerian international singer Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, has canceled her upcoming concert in Rwanda. The announcement was made on her X account on January 30, following rising tensions between Rwanda and South Africa due to the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In her post, the Grammy-winning artist explained that she had promoted the Kigali concert without realizing the severity of the situation. She apologized if her actions seemed insensitive given the political climate and expressed her heartfelt concern for those affected by the conflict.
“I recently promoted my show in Rwanda without realizing there was ongoing conflict between Rwanda and Congo,” Tems shared. “I never intend to be insensitive to real-world issues, and I sincerely apologize if this came across that way. I simply had no idea this was happening. My heart goes out to those affected. Conflict is no joke, and I truly hope and pray for peace during this time.”
The cancellation comes amid escalating tensions between Rwanda and South Africa over their support of the M23 Rebel Group, which has been actively attempting to displace the DRC government. The concert was part of Tems’ global tour in support of her debut album, Born in the Wild.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also addressed the situation, posting on X, “Following the recent intensification of fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa has lost 13 brave soldiers who were dedicated to their mission and committed to peace.” He added that the fighting had been exacerbated by the rebel forces.