‘I wish I knew him’ — Tems reacts after being asked if she'd date Super Eagles' Maduka Okoye at BET Awards

• Tems said she does not know Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye personally when asked on the BET red carpet.

• The singer added that she sees fellow celebrities as "family," saying, "I wish I knew him... We don't do that over here."

• The question comes after Okoye gained widespread attention online, with fans praising his looks and dubbing him "the sexiest footballer in the world."

Nigerian singer Tems addressed questions about a possible romance with Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after being asked about him during a red carpet interview at the 2026 BET Awards in Los Angeles.

Responding to the interviewer's question on whether she would consider approaching the goalkeeper, Tems made clear that she views fellow Nigerian celebrities as family rather than potential partners.

"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 reflects a wider wave of attention Okoye has received in recent months. The goalkeeper has been trending globally across social media platforms for his looks and on-camera charisma, with fans and several outlets dubbing him "the sexiest footballer in the world."

The viral attention picked up significantly after footage of his pre-match walk during a Super Eagles international friendly circulated widely online. Since then, his photos, physique, and interview clips have continued to draw attention from internet users far beyond football circles.

Tems herself was one of the headline performers at this year's ceremony, taking part in a star-studded tribute to Lauryn Hill, who received the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award. She also featured in a performance segment honouring the late D'Angelo, alongside Ari Lennox, Raye, and Durand Bernarr.

The singer entered the night with three nominations: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, BET Her for 'First,' and Viewers' Choice for 'Raindance' alongside Dave, but left without a win in any category.

Her response to the Okoye question has continued to generate conversation online, with many fans reacting to how she handled the subject on camera, even as she maintained that she sees her fellow colleagues strictly as family.

Okoye has not publicly responded to the interview at the time of this report.

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