Burgeoning Nigerian singer Temilade Olaniyi, widely known as Tems, has debunked the popular assumption that she’s from a wealthy home.
Tems, who spoke in a new chat with Saturday Beat, said it was a misconception that she was from a rich background. She corrected the misapprehension, saying that she appreciated her mother for doing everything she could to make sure they had quality education.
She stated that despite not being able to afford the school they attended because it was expensive, her mother made sure they got a quality education. Tems added that everyone in the school was aware they were not rich.
“I am just sending big love to my mum because of who she is. She stopped at nothing (to take care of us).”
“We could not afford to go to the school we went to (because it was expensive). Everybody in that school knew we were not rich. My mum was the doctor of the school clinic. We thank God that we don’t look like what we went through,” she said.
The vibrant singer further disclosed she lacked confidence at a time in her life. She said, “I would call myself confident. I think when one has a certain level of awareness, one cannot not be. It’s like if the lion realises it’s a lion, what is the reason for it to act like a rat? That’s not even an option.”
“I feel like the more one realises who one is, the more confident one is because one knows what’s important. Nothing else matters. However, I have not always been confident. I think as children, we are all confident.”
“I think we’re born into this world full of new adventures, and we just go into them, and do things. I think, along the way, life happened. There was a time I had no self-worth or value, or I genuinely believed I was meant to be the mat that people stepped on.”
“When I was in school I couldn’t eat in public. I was not someone that people liked. And I was like, “If my presence is bothering people, I’m just going to move away. I’m just going to do my thing and find what I like.”