South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the schedule of her upcoming APOP World Tour, days after the Nigerian stop sparked heated reactions online and calls for a boycott over renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
A review of the singer’s official tour website on Friday confirmed that the Lagos concert, previously scheduled for December 22, is no longer listed, raising fresh questions about the fate of the planned performance.
The revised tour itinerary continues to feature all previously announced dates across Europe, North America and South Africa but no longer includes Nigeria.
The removal comes after Lagos was initially unveiled as the only Nigerian destination on the global tour, with the concert expected to take place before the tour concluded with performances in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
The development follows days of intense debate on social media, where the announcement of Tyla’s Lagos concert divided opinion among Nigerians.
While some welcomed the opportunity to see the international star perform in the country, others argued that the show should not go ahead in light of renewed reports of xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians living in South Africa.
Among those who publicly opposed the planned concert were media personality Do2dtun and social media commentator VeryDarkMan, both of whom called for a boycott. They maintained that South African artistes should not be welcomed to perform in Nigeria while Nigerians continue to face hostility and violence in parts of South Africa.
However, not everyone shared that position. Some social media users argued that musicians should not be held responsible for political tensions or social issues between countries. According to that view, entertainment should remain separate from diplomatic or societal disputes, and artistes should not bear the consequences of events beyond their control.
As of the time this report was filed, neither Tyla nor her management team had released a statement addressing why the Nigerian date was taken off the itinerary or whether the concert had been cancelled, postponed or withdrawn for another reason.
Concert promoters associated with the planned Lagos show have also remained silent, with no public announcement confirming the status of the event.
