Grammy-winning Nigerian artist, Tems, has cancelled her upcoming concert in Kigali, Rwanda, citing concerns over the instability as a result of the M23 rebel group’s offensives in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The decision came amid growing international condemnation of Rwanda’s backing of M23, which recently seized control of Goma, a strategic city in DRC’s mineral-rich east.
Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, announced the cancellation of the show via graphic posted on X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday.
Tems in series of posts initially bemoaned the security situation in the country before announcing the cancellation of her show.
“So I recently promoted my show in Rwanda without realising that there is ongoing conflict between Rwanda and Congo,” she wrote. “I never ever intend to be insensitive to real-world issues, and I sincerely apologise if this came across that way.”
The singer, who made history in 2023 as the first Nigerian female artist to win a Grammy, expressed sympathy for those affected by the ongoing conflict.
“I simply had no idea this was going on. My heart goes out to those affected,” she added.
Recall that Tems was scheduled to perform at BK Arena in Kigali on March 22 before making the decision to withdraw.
Her announcement came just hours after M23 leaders vowed to escalate their offensive, declaring their intention to “continue the march of liberation all the way” to Kinshasa, the DRC capital.
The crisis has drawn international attention, with the United Kingdom government on Thursday stating that it was considering reviewing British aid to Rwanda over its alleged role in the conflict.
The DRC government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels to exploit eastern Congo’s vast mineral resources. A United Nations report published in July 2023 backed these claims, revealing that Rwanda has thousands of troops stationed in eastern DRC and exercises “de facto control” over M23.
Rwanda, however, has consistently denied the allegations. President Paul Kagame has refused to admit to direct military involvement but insists that lasting peace is impossible until the DRC neutralizes the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) —a rebel group formed by former Hutu leaders responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi.
