The Lagos leg of South African music star Tyla's upcoming APOP World Tour has been dropped from her official tour schedule, following mounting calls by some Nigerians to boycott the concert over renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
A check of the Grammy-winning singer's official website on Friday confirmed that the December 22 Lagos concert, previously announced as part of the global tour, had been removed from the itinerary without any explanation.
While performances across Europe, North America and South Africa remain on the schedule, Nigeria is no longer listed among the tour destinations.
The decision comes barely a week after Tyla announced Lagos as the only Nigerian stop on the tour, with the final performances scheduled for Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
The announcement had triggered mixed reactions, as many Nigerians argued that it would be inappropriate for South African artistes to perform in the country while Nigerians and other African nationals continue to face alleged xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Others maintained that entertainers should not be drawn into diplomatic or social disputes between the two countries.
The debate intensified after controversial social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, vowed to resist the concert if organisers proceeded with the event.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Otse said his Ratel Movement would oppose the concert as a demonstration of solidarity with victims of xenophobic violence.
He accused South African celebrities of remaining silent despite recurring attacks on foreign nationals living in South Africa, insisting that Nigerians should reject the concert until the violence is addressed.
However, activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Omoyele Sowore, criticised the boycott campaign.
According to him, Tyla should not be blamed for the actions of individuals involved in xenophobic attacks, arguing that Nigerians should channel their outrage towards those directly responsible rather than a musician.
The development comes amid renewed public concern over the safety of Nigerians residing in South Africa following reports of fresh attacks and the death of a Nigerian, Chika Ibe, in Cape Town.
Despite the removal of Lagos from the tour schedule, Tyla's management has yet to issue any official statement explaining the decision.
Likewise, the concert promoters have not announced whether the Lagos performance has been cancelled or postponed, leaving fans awaiting clarification on the fate of the show.
Leave a Reply