Ugandan musician Bebe Cool has set the record straight regarding his role in the 2020 arrest of Nigerian artists Tems and Omah Lay, denying accusations that he was responsible for their detention. The two artists were arrested following a performance at the Big Brunch event in Uganda during the COVID-19 lockdown, an event that allegedly violated Uganda’s COVID-19 regulations. Initially, many speculated that Bebe Cool had called the police on the artists after he had publicly criticized the event for going forward while Ugandan artists were still prohibited from performing.
Speaking on the Afrobeats Podcast with Adesope, Bebe Cool clarified that he had no involvement in the arrest. He explained that he first learned of the situation through a call from a friend, Bushingtone, at 3 a.m. seeking his assistance. Bebe Cool made it clear that he did not have a hand in the arrests, stating, “It’s very difficult when the internet picks on a story in a direction next to impossible to turn it around.”
According to Bebe Cool, after receiving the news of the artists’ arrest, he immediately began making calls and went directly to the police station to inquire about the situation. He questioned the arrest of the Nigerian artists, especially when the event organizers, who had violated the regulations, had not been arrested. Uganda’s COVID-19 regulations allowed gatherings of up to 200 people, and Bebe Cool argued that the artists should not have been detained if the event itself was compliant with the guidelines.
Despite his efforts to resolve the situation, a female event promoter accused Bebe Cool of orchestrating the arrests due to his previous criticism of the event. He also discovered, while attempting to mediate at the police station, that the artists had already been taken to court.
In a moment of clarity, Bebe Cool received a call from Nigerian artist Davido, who asked him why he had gotten Tems and Omah Lay arrested. Bebe Cool responded by defending himself, explaining that he was actually working tirelessly to secure their release.