Tems recalls the moment she almost got robbed.

Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer-songwriter Temilade Openiyi, widely known as Tems, recently opened up about how attaining international fame has drastically changed her life. 

During an interview on Big Boy TV, she discussed her sacrifices, including her inability to drive herself in her hometown of Lagos.

“I am very famous at home, so I can’t really go anywhere,” the ‘Me & U’ hitmaker said softly when asked about her recognition in Nigeria. 

She expressed her frustration over the loss of privacy and solitude following her rise to fame.

Tems shared a frightening experience in which she nearly got robbed after being spotted driving alone in her neighbourhood. 

This incident was alarming enough that she now requires police escorts whenever she is out on the streets.

“And we have area boys who know who I am, so I can’t drive anywhere. I used to try to drive, but I almost got mobbed last year when I attempted to drive myself. 

Now, I need police cars in front and behind me, and if I decide to drive myself, there must be police following me,” she explained.

However, Tems noted that this issue primarily arises only when she is in Nigeria. She misses the freedom of driving herself, as it gives her a sense of normalcy. 

“If I want to live a normal life and feel like an ordinary girl in Nigeria, I have to have police escorts in front and behind me. I long for the ability to be behind the wheel and feel normal, but I can’t,” she added.

As she concluded her remarks, Tems admitted that it took her a while to adjust to her newfound fame, especially given her introverted and straightforward nature.

 “I didn’t handle the fame well at first. After some time, I just wanted to be alone in my room,” she said. 

“Even with my team, adapting to conversations was strange because I had never had to do that before. I wasn’t very good at it; I was blunt and perhaps a bit rude. I would say things that were obvious but not necessarily appropriate to voice.”

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