Tyla Quietly Removes Lagos From World Tour as Xenophobia Boycott Campaign Intensifies

Tyla Quietly Removes Lagos From World Tour as Xenophobia Boycott Campaign Intensifies

The updated tour itinerary no longer lists the Lagos stop, which had been announced as the only Nigerian date on the tour before its final shows in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.

All previously announced dates across Europe, North America, and South Africa remain unchanged. However, neither Tyla nor her management has issued any official statement explaining why the Lagos concert was removed from the schedule, leaving fans and critics to speculate about the true reason behind the quiet removal .

The Lagos concert, which had generated excitement among fans, has effectively been scrapped from the global tour, but the singer has not confirmed whether the show has been permanently cancelled or merely removed for now.

The controversy erupted shortly after the singer announced the Lagos date, with many Nigerians taking to social media to oppose the concert. Critics argued that hosting a South African artist in Nigeria would send the wrong message while reports of xenophobic attacks continued to emerge from South Africa.

The campaign gained momentum after reports of attacks targeting Nigerians and other African migrants, including the death of Nigerian national Chika Ibeh during a South African Police Service operation in Cape Town.

The death further strained diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, prompting the Nigerian government to demand a thorough investigation .

The boycott campaign drew support from several public figures, with activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatening to mobilise members of his "Ratel Movement" to prevent the concert from taking place . "There will be no Tyla concert in Nigeria," VDM declared in a viral video, arguing that Tyla should not profit from Nigerians while South Africans continue to attack foreign nationals.

Author and media personality Solomon Buchi also questioned Tyla's silence over the attacks and urged Nigerians to withhold support until the safety of Nigerians in South Africa improves.

Media personality Do2dtun also questioned the promoters behind the planned Lagos show.

However, the boycott campaign was not universally supported. Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore rejected the calls, arguing that musicians should not be held responsible for the actions of criminals or government failures.

A law firm, DACO LP Africa, also opposed the boycott, stating that Tyla, as an individual, has the right to perform and earn a living from her profession, and should not be blamed solely because she shares the same nationality as those responsible for the attacks.

Sowore wrote on X, "Nigerians should direct their anger at their real enemies.

No one should hold a talented musician like Tyla vicariously liable for the crimes of xenophobia," adding that "Tyla's Lagos concert must go on".

The removal of the Lagos date comes amid a separate diplomatic row over reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied entry visas to South Africa.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on the Nigerian government to apply the principle of reciprocity by reviewing visa applications for South African artistes and their entourages.

The controversy has reignited long-standing tensions between Africa's two largest economies, raising questions about the future of cultural exchange and diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa.

As of now, Tyla's Cape Town and Johannesburg concerts remain on the tour schedule, while the fate of her planned Lagos show remains uncertain.