Tems Had Just ₦200 When We Met – Manager Muyiwa Awoniyi Reveals
Muyiwa Awoniyi, manager to Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has revealed that the singer was in a difficult financial situation when they first met.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Awoniyi shared that Tems had only ₦200 in her bank account at the time. Despite this, he said her determination and character convinced him that she was someone he could build a lasting partnership with.
According to him, their professional relationship began after she requested that he manage her, and he agreed to send over a contract. However, her eagerness to formalise the deal stood out.
“She was chasing me to sign my own part of the contract,” he said. “That’s when I knew she was different. I told her, ‘Let’s not just do a management contract. Let’s start a company together.’”
Awoniyi explained that before working together, they had been friends for about three months and had never discussed music or business. “Back then, I had a production company, and if I had any money, I’d buy food. But what shocked me was that even though Tems had no means of income, she would still find a way to order food for all of us.”
He added that her attitude and resilience, even in the face of hardship, made it clear that she was unlike anyone he had encountered in the Nigerian music space.
Today, Tems is one of Africa’s most acclaimed artists, with a Grammy Award and several international collaborations to her name.
