South African singer Tyla has dropped Lagos from her upcoming APOP World Tour itinerary, days after the announcement of a December concert in Nigeria triggered widespread boycott threats over xenophobic violence targeting Africans in South Africa.
A check on the artist’s official website on Friday showed the Lagos date, previously set for December 22, had been removed from the schedule. The updated list retains shows in Europe, North America and South Africa but no longer features Nigeria.
The decision follows intense backlash on social media after Tyla announced the tour, with Lagos as the sole Nigerian stop ahead of dates in Cape Town and Johannesburg in early January. Many Nigerians called for a boycott in protest against renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
Activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, led the opposition, threatening to mobilise his Ratel Movement to stop the show. “TYLA SHOW WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN NIGERIA,” he wrote on Facebook, criticising South African celebrities for not speaking out against the attacks.
In a video on X, he added: “There will be no Tyla show in Nigeria… Not when Chidimma Adetshina is battling deportation in court in South Africa… And you want to bring in Tyla and you will sell tickets and Tyla will make money off Nigerians, the same Nigerians that South Africans hate so much.”
The controversy comes against a backdrop of heightened diplomatic tensions, including reports of attacks such as the alleged killing of Nigerian Chika Ibe in Cape Town and the evacuation of hundreds of Nigerians.
AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore opposed the boycott, arguing that Tyla should not be held responsible. “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,” he posted on X. “Tyla’s Lagos concert must go on.”
As of Friday, Tyla’s team had not issued an official statement on the removal of the Lagos date.
