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Citizens feared she would disrupt their social culture.
By Megan Quinn — Written on Feb 11, 2023
With the Superbowl LVII quickly approaching on February 12, 2023, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding pop star, Rihanna, who will be performing at this year's halftime show.
With the singer being widely discussed in the media, old news, and conspiracy theories focused on her have come back to light.
One of the popular theories that circulated among fans back in 2018 was Rihanna’s supposed banishment from the country of Senegal due to her rumored involvement in a satanist group.
Was Rihanna banned from Senegal?
Despite the circulating rumors and conspiracies, Rihanna was not banned by the Senegalese government and visited the country for the conference as scheduled.
Senegal is composed of powerful religious organizations, including an association of around 30 Islamic associations called “No to Freemasonry and Homosexuality,” which called on the government to cancel the pop star’s visit.
Many of these same religious groups in Senegal protested the singer’s entry into the country over her supposed involvement in the Illuminati.
The groups were also concerned that the singer would “promote homosexuality in collision with the Freemasons.”
While “No to Freemasonry and Homosexuality” groups protested the pop star’s arrival, their actions did not keep her from entering the nation.
The President of Senegal, Macky Sall, was in attendance at the conference and delivered a short speech to the audience.
Additionally, there is no evidence that supports Rihanna’s involvement with the Illuminati.
Conspiracies swirled that Rihanna was banned from Senegal for being a member of the Illuminati.
The Illuminati is a group believed to be composed of those in elite Hollywood, politicians, and bankers who secretly take control of the world.
However, there is no definitive proof that this group exists.
Other celebrities including Katy Perry, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé have also been accused of being a part of the Illuminati.
In February 2018, Rihanna was set to visit the West African nation of Senegal to attend a conference, alongside the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, promoting education in developing countries.
Her role as an ambassador for the Global Partnership for Education was a key factor in getting the message across during the conference.
The organization supports schooling and education across 65 developing countries.
Some people believed that Rihanna’s visit to Senegal was to attend a Freemason's conference.
“Rihanna doesn’t hide it: she’s part of the Illuminati, a branch of Freemasons,” Cheikh Oumar Diagne, a spokesman, told Jeune Afrique.
Freemasons are another secret society like the Illuminati. Diagne pointed out that a Freemason's conference had been scheduled for the same date as the educational conference but was ultimately canceled.
The meeting of African freemasons was set to take place between February 2 and February 3, 2018, in the Senegalese capital of Dakar.
However, the plans fell through after another religious organization forced a local hotel to drop its offer for the venue.
Still, people were persistent that Rihanna planned on preaching her Illuminati ideals to them.
Some Senegal residents claimed that Rihanna’s visit was "orchestrated with the complicity of the government, in order to roll out an educational regime that aims to create future generations of loyal disciples of Satan."
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.