South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the itinerary of her upcoming APOP World Tour, just days after her scheduled December 22 performance in Nigeria sparked widespread debate and calls for a boycott over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
A review of the singer's official tour website on Friday confirmed that the Lagos date has been taken off the schedule. While all previously announced shows across Europe, North America and South Africa remain intact, the Nigerian stop is no longer listed. Neither Tyla nor her management has offered any explanation for the change, and concert organisers have yet to announce whether the show has been cancelled or postponed.
The Lagos concert had initially been unveiled earlier this week as the tour's only Nigerian performance before concluding in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
The announcement immediately generated mixed reactions online, with many Nigerians calling for the event to be boycotted in response to ongoing reports of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.
While some social media users insisted that South African entertainers should not be welcomed in Nigeria until the attacks cease, others argued that artistes should not be blamed for political or societal issues beyond their control.
The debate intensified on Thursday after activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to mobilise members of his "Ratel Movement" to prevent the concert from taking place. In a Facebook post, he declared, "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."
He continued, "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."
However, 2027 African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore opposed the boycott campaign, arguing that the singer should not be held accountable for xenophobic violence. In a post on X, he wrote, "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," adding that "Tyla's Lagos concert must go on."
The removal of Lagos from the tour schedule comes against the backdrop of growing concern over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa, following reports of renewed xenophobic attacks and the deaths of Nigerian nationals, including Chika Ibe in Cape Town. As of the time of reporting, there has been no official statement from Tyla's camp or the event promoters clarifying the status of the Lagos show or the reason behind its disappearance from the tour itinerary.