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Tyla has removed Lagos from her A*POP World Tour schedule after the planned December 22 concert sparked backlash in Nigeria over renewed reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. The move came days after calls for a boycott gained momentum online.
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Several Nigerian celebrities and public figures weighed in on the controversy. Do2dtun, VeryDarkMan and Solomon Buchi backed calls against the concert, arguing that it should not hold amid the xenophobia concerns. Omoyele Sowore, however, opposed the boycott, insisting that Tyla should not be held responsible for the actions of others.
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The controversy has drawn comparisons with Burna Boy’s 2019 South Africa concert saga. After speaking out against xenophobic attacks that year, Burna Boy faced a backlash in South Africa, leading to protests and security concerns around his scheduled performance. The incident eventually ended with his withdrawal from the concert.
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Tyla has yet to publicly address the controversy or the removal of the Lagos concert. Neither the singer nor her management has explained why the date was taken off the tour schedule. It also remains unclear whether the Lagos show has been cancelled permanently or could be rescheduled.
July 31, (THEWILL) — South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the schedule of her A*POP World Tour, days after her planned December 22 concert in Nigeria sparked calls for a boycott over renewed reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
A check of Tyla’s official tour and ticketing platforms on Friday, July 31, showed that the Lagos date had been removed from the itinerary.
The updated schedule now includes stops across Europe, North America and South Africa, with the tour ending in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
Neither Tyla nor her management has issued a statement explaining the change or confirming whether the Lagos concert has been cancelled or postponed.
Backlash Over Lagos Concert
The controversy began after Tyla announced her 34-date world tour on Monday, July 27, with Lagos listed as the only Nigerian stop.
The announcement drew mixed reactions on Nigerian social media, where many users linked the planned concert to renewed reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
Some argued that South African entertainers should not perform in Nigeria while Nigerians continue to face attacks abroad. Others maintained that musicians should not be held responsible for the actions of governments or individuals.
Public Figures Divided
Several public figures joined the debate.
Media personality Do2dtun published a strongly worded statement criticising Tyla for planning a Lagos concert despite her silence on xenophobic attacks in South Africa. He argued that her failure to speak out showed a lack of empathy, adding that “no voice means agreement.”
He also criticised Nigerians planning to attend the show, writing on X: “If you stand for anything or not, good for you, but if you go for that Tyla’s show then you are a bastard.”
Do2dtun also referenced Burna Boy’s experience in South Africa following the 2019 xenophobia crisis.
Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, also opposed the concert and warned organisers against proceeding with the event.
He said: “There will be no Tyla concert in Nigeria. It is not happening. This is a warning to the organisers and the show promoters bringing Tyla to Nigeria. That show is not happening.”
He added: “This is a warning to you, if you go ahead with that show, we will come to the venue and we will bring the show down.”
Content creator Solomon Buchi also called for the concert to be cancelled unless Tyla publicly addressed the xenophobia issue.
Not everyone supported the campaign.
Human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore urged Nigerians not to blame the singer for the actions of others.
He wrote on X: “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.”
How Burna Boy’s 2019 South Africa Concert Saga Mirrors Tyla’s Controversy
The backlash against Tyla has drawn comparisons with Burna Boy’s experience in 2019, when he faced widespread opposition in South Africa following his comments on xenophobic attacks.
The controversy began after a wave of xenophobic violence targeted foreign nationals, including Nigerians, in South Africa. Burna Boy publicly condemned the attacks and vowed not to return to the country until the situation improved.
His remarks led to a public fallout with late South African rapper AKA, who accused him of making inflammatory statements. The dispute fueled a boycott campaign against Burna Boy ahead of the Africans Unite anti-xenophobia concert in South Africa.
As public outrage grew and organisers cited security concerns following threats of violence, Burna Boy was withdrawn from the concert lineup, and the event was eventually cancelled.
Burna Boy’s 2019 experience has resurfaced in conversations surrounding Tyla’s Lagos concert, reflecting how entertainment events can become linked to wider tensions between Nigeria and South Africa.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
