Nigerians divided over calls to boycott South Africa Tyla’s Lagos concert

Calls to boycott South African singer Tyla's scheduled concert in Lagos have sparked a heated debate among Nigerians on social media, with many linking the event to renewed outrage over alleged xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

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Any Nigerian who attends Tyla’s concert in Lagos is just as useless as the government btw.

The announcement of Tyla's APOP World Tour, which includes a December 22 performance in Lagos, ignited a backlash on X (formerly Twitter). Users argued that holding the concert is inappropriate while Nigerians reportedly face violence and mistreatment in South Africa. One user, #Miz_Fey, stated, "Any Nigerian who attends Tyla’s concert in Lagos is just as useless as the government btw." Another, #FtoniaUc, expressed strong disapproval: "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!!"

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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!!

Concerns were amplified by reports and shared videos alleging mistreatment and killings of Nigerians by South African police. #BighomieRay urged a boycott, stating, "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 called for a peaceful boycott as a "symbolic stand for justice, accountability, and the protection of all Africans," arguing it's not the right time to support South African entertainment.

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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.

Some critics also pointed to Tyla's perceived silence on the issue. "I’ve never seen Tyla speak up against xenophobia. But sure, let's do a tour stop in Lagos," posted #Momobtw__. However, the boycott campaign is not universally supported, with some users, like #Emmanuel1135482, appearing to favor the concert despite the controversy.

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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.