Tyla’s Lagos concert: Nigerians clash over calls for boycott

Nigerians on social media have become sharply divided over calls to boycott South African singer Tyla’s upcoming concert in Lagos, with many connecting the controversy to renewed anger over alleged xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

The backlash followed the release of Tyla’s APOP World Tour schedule, which includes a performance in Lagos on December 22 before the tour wraps up with shows in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.

The Grammy-winning artiste announced the tour on Monday, with concerts planned across Europe, North America, Nigeria and South Africa.

The announcement quickly ignited heated reactions on X, where some users argued that the Lagos concert should not go ahead while reports of attacks against Nigerians in South Africa persist.

X user #Miz_Fey wrote, “Any Nigerian who attends Tyla’s concert in Lagos is just as useless as the government btw.”

Another user, #FtoniaUc, said, “I don’t care what y’all say, with what went down and what is going down in South Africa against Nigerians, no South African artists should be hosting a concert or show in Nigeria. It’s the audacity for me!!”

The same user added, “Any Nigerian buying that ticket and even the organiser should be ashamed.”

#BighomieRay also urged Nigerians to reject the concert.

“If this concert hold successfully in Nigeria, then Nigerians are bunch of idiots. Go and see what SA police are doing to Nigerians. They recently killed a Nigerian. None of them have spoken against it,” the user wrote.

Another X user, #MetOrjiChukwudi, called for a peaceful boycott.

“I call on Nigerians to peacefully boycott Tyla’s performance as a symbolic stand for justice, accountability, and the protection of all Africans. As long as xenophobia and…