South African Grammy-winning singer, Tyla, has removed Lagos from the schedule of her APOP World Tour, days after her planned December 22 concert in Nigeria sparked calls for a boycott over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
A check of Tyla’s official tour website on Friday showed that the Lagos stop, previously scheduled for December 22, had been removed from the itinerary.
The updated tour schedule retains all previously announced dates across Europe, North America, and South Africa, but no longer includes Nigeria.
Earlier in the week, Tyla had unveiled the APOP World Tour, with Lagos listed as the only Nigerian stop before the tour concluded with performances in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
The announcement generated widespread reactions on social media, with some Nigerians calling for a boycott of the concert in protest against xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
While some users argued that no South African artiste should perform in Nigeria amid ongoing reports of attacks, others maintained that musicians should not be held accountable for political or social issues.
The debate intensified after activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to mobilise members of his “Ratel Movement” to stop the concert if it proceeded.
In a post on his Facebook page, he stated:
“TYLA SHOW WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN NIGERIA.
This is a message to South Africans. We are Africans and we don’t harm our own. We are standing in solidarity to say no to promoters and celebrities from South Africa who have refused to speak up against these attacks on other Africans living in South Africa.
#SayNoToXenophobia #RatelMovement”
However, 2027 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, opposed the boycott, arguing that Tyla should not be blamed for xenophobic attacks.
He noted that Nigerians should direct their concerns appropriately and not hold the artist responsible for broader societal issues.
The removal of Lagos from the tour schedule comes amid growing concerns over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa, following reports of alleged xenophobic attacks and the death of Nigerian nationals, including one Chika Ibe in Cape Town.
As of the time of this report, neither Tyla nor her management has provided an official reason for the removal of Lagos from the tour schedule. Concert promoters have also not announced any cancellation or postponement of the show.