Tems Responds To Dating Question About Maduka Okoye At BET Awards

Nigerian singer Tems has addressed questions about whether she would ever pursue a relationship with Maduka Okoye after talks of the Super Eagles goalkeeper came up during a red carpet interview at the 2026 BET Awards.

Asked if she would ever date the football star, Tems laughed off the idea, explaining that she doesn’t see fellow Nigerian public figures as romantic prospects.

“I know who Maduka Okoye is, but I don’t know him personally. I wish I did, though. But shooting shots at him- we don’t do that over here. We friend each other, and we are family,” she said.

The question wasn’t entirely unexpected, as Okoye has become one of the internet’s most talked-about footballers in recent months. A series of viral videos and photos, particularly footage of his walk before a Super Eagles international friendly, introduced him to audiences well beyond football fans. Since then, his striking looks, physique and confident screen presence have fuelled countless posts online, with many admirers even describing him as “the sexiest footballer in the world.”

While the dating question grabbed attention, Tems was at the BET Awards for a much bigger reason. She was nominated in three categories at this year’s ceremony: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, BET Her for First, and the Viewers’ Choice Award for Raindance with Dave. Although she left the ceremony without a trophy, her red carpet remarks have since become a talking point online. As of the time of filing this report, Okoye has not publicly commented on the exchange.