Tyla Drops Lagos From World Tour After Boycott Calls

Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the schedule of her APOP World Tour, days after her planned concert in Nigeria prompted boycott calls over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.

Tyla’s official tour website on Friday showed that the Lagos concert, previously scheduled for December 22, had been removed from the tour itinerary. The updated schedule still includes performances across Europe, North America and South Africa, but no longer lists Nigeria as a tour stop.

The concert had drawn mixed reactions after it was announced earlier this week, with some Nigerians calling for a boycott in response to reports of new xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.

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While some argued that South African entertainers should not perform in Nigeria until the attacks end, others insisted musicians should not be blamed for political or social issues.

Tyla performing on stage. Credit: Billboard.

The debate intensified on Thursday after social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to mobilise members of his Ratel Movement to stop the concert if it went ahead.

“We are standing in solidarity to say no to the promoters and celebrities from South Africa who have refused to speak up against these attacks on other Africans living in South Africa,” VeryDarkMan wrote in a Facebook post.

However, African Action Congress (AAC) 2027 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, opposed the boycott campaign, saying Tyla should not be held responsible for xenophobic attacks.

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“Nigerians should direct their anger at their real enemies. No one should hold a talented musician like @Tyllaaaaaaa vicariously liable for the crimes of xenophobia,” Sowore wrote on X, adding that “Tyla’s Lagos concert must go on.”

The removal of Lagos from the tour comes following renewed concerns over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa following reports of alleged xenophobic attacks and the death of Nigerian national Chika Ibe in Cape Town.

As of Friday, neither Tyla nor her management had explained why the Lagos concert was removed from the tour schedule. Also, the concert promoters are yet to announce whether the show has been cancelled or postponed.

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Deborah Akwa

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