Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions on social media over calls to boycott South African singer Tyla’s upcoming concert in Lagos, with many connecting the event to renewed concerns about alleged xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in South Africa.
The debate followed the announcement of Tyla’s APOP World Tour, which is scheduled to stop in Lagos on December 22 before wrapping up with performances in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
Report stated earlier that the Grammy-winning singer unveiled the tour dates on Monday, with shows planned across Europe, North America, Nigeria and South Africa.
However, the announcement quickly triggered heated discussions on X, where some users argued that the concert should not take place while reports of alleged attacks on Nigerians in South Africa persist.
These are the reactions of the users on X :
@Miz_Fey: Any Nigerian who attends Tyla’s concert in Lagos is just as useless as the government btw.
@FtoniaUc: 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!!… Any Nigerian buying that ticket and even the organiser should be ashamed.
@BighomieRay: 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.
@MetOrjiChukwudi: 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 Afrophobia continue to threaten the lives of Africans, including Nigerians, in South Africa, I believe this is not the right time to support South African entertainment in Nigeria.
@Phatbabeluuu: Tyla having a show in Lagos after the whole xenophobia shit show from her country, shows one thing, Nigerians don’t stand for anything.
Others criticised Tyla for not publicly speaking on the alleged attacks.
@Momobtw__: I’ve never seen Tyla speak up against xenophobia. But sure, let’s do a tour stop in Lagos.
@callmehonneybee: Mind you this is what their police officers are doing to our brothers. Literally killing them like flies in their own home.
Despite the criticism, several social media users opposed the boycott campaign.
@Emmanuel1135482: argued that Nigerians’ admiration for Tyla should not be mistaken for support for xenophobia…. Nigerians get love still get hate at the same time. Na the love for Tyla no be for South Africans.
@Cea9275:You’re fighting an illogical battle, political issues should never stop a musician from performing in the said country. And if you’re really passionate about this issue as you appear, why don’t you condemn Nigerian artists featuring SA artistes?
@DoyeenOfLagos: We are quick to blame govt, make govt come wash our bumbum after pooing? No be some people organise the event? No be some go attend the event? Na govt forced them to? That’s why politicians are treating us like this.
The online debate comes amid renewed concern over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa following reports of alleged xenophobic attacks and the reported death of Nigerian national Chika Ibe in Cape Town, an incident that has continued to spark widespread reactions on social media.