Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has sparked a heated debate across Nigerian social media following the announcement of her upcoming APOP World Tour, which includes a headline show in Lagos on 22 December.
The backlash comes amid renewed outrage over the death of a Nigerian national, Chika Ibe, in Cape Town and broader allegations of police violence and xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The announcement sparked immediate division on social media platform X, with a vocal faction of Nigerian users demanding a peaceful boycott of the Lagos show. Proponents of the protest argue that hosting South African entertainers is inappropriate while Nigerians continue to face violence and discrimination in South Africa.
Commentators urged concertgoers and event promoters to demonstrate accountability, criticising the pop star for failing to publicly address xenophobia while profiting from Nigerian venues.
However, the proposed boycott faced sharp pushback from other quarters. Counterarguments highlighted that political friction should not restrict artists, pointing out the contradiction in targeting music tours while cross-border musical collaborations between Nigerian and South African artists continue unchallenged.
Other users noted that genuine affection for Tyla’s music should not be conflated with political approval of South Africa’s internal issues, while some insisted that public accountability lies with event organisers and concertgoers rather than state authorities.