South African Grammy winning singer Tyla has dropped Lagos from the itinerary of her APOP World Tour, just days after her scheduled December 22 performance in Nigeria sparked boycott calls over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
A review of Tyla’s official tour website by PUNCH Online on Friday confirmed that the Lagos concert, which had earlier been scheduled for December 22, was no longer listed.
The revised tour schedule still features all previously announced performances across Europe, North America, and South Africa, but Nigeria has been removed.
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Tyla announced the APOP World Tour on Monday, with Lagos initially included as the only Nigerian destination before the tour wrapped up with shows in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
The announcement generated mixed reactions on social media, with some Nigerians calling for a boycott in response to reports of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians in South Africa.
While some argued that South African artistes should not perform in Nigeria until the attacks stopped, others insisted entertainers should not be blamed for political or social issues.
The debate intensified on Thursday after activist Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, vowed to mobilise members of his “Ratel Movement” to prevent the concert from taking place.
In a post on his Facebook page, Otse wrote, “TYLA SHOW WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN NIGERIA.
“This is a message to SOUTH AFRICANS. WE ARE AFRICANS AND WE DONT UNALIVE OUR OWN, since you people have taken it upon yourselves to unalive other Africans because according to you guys other African nationalities living in South Africa are taking your jobs.
“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.
“#NOTOXENOPHOBICATTACKS #ratelmovement SAYNOTOXENOPHOBICATTACKS.”
Earlier, the African Action Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Omoyele Sowore, opposed the boycott campaign, arguing that Tyla should not be held responsible for xenophobic attacks.
“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 schedule comes amid renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerians in South Africa following reports of alleged xenophobic attacks and the deaths of Nigerian nationals, including Chika Ibe in Cape Town.
As of the time this report was filed, neither Tyla nor her management had given any reason for removing the Lagos concert from the tour schedule.
The concert promoters had also not announced whether the show had been cancelled or postponed.
