Nigerians have bared their minds and called for a total boycott of South African singer, Tyla’s upcoming concert in Lagos, linking the opposition to xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
This comes on the heels of Tyla’s management releasing her 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 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.
Also, it was gathered that Afrobeats star, Arya Starr’s show in South Africa has been cancelled after the musician and her team were allegedly denied visas just days ahead of the event.
Reality star and actor Pere Egbi, reacting to this development, said that Tyla and her team should also be denied visas.
“Nigerian @nigimmigration, we are collectively imploring you to intentionally deny Tyla and her team visas as well. They can’t do this to our own and we welcome their own. Madness must match madness.
@Phatbabeluu says, “Tyla having a show in Lagos after the whole xenophobia shit show from her country, shows one thing, Nigerians don’t stand for anything.”
Another 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 holds successfully in Nigeria, then Nigerians are a bunch of idiots. Go and see what the SA police are doing to Nigerians. They recently killed a Nigerian. None of them has spoken against it,” the user wrote.
Others criticised Tyla for not publicly addressing alleged attacks on Nigerians.
“I’ve never seen Tyla speak up against xenophobia. But sure, let’s do a tour stop in Lagos,” #Momobtw__ wrote.
However, not all users supported the boycott campaign.
#Emmanuel113548 argued that admiration for Tyla should not be interpreted as support for xenophobia.
“Nigerians get love, still get hate at the same time. Na the love for Tyla no be for South Africans,” the user wrote.
Another X user, #cea9275, rejected the boycott calls, saying, “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 also questioned why blame was being directed at the government rather than the organisers and attendees.
“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 user wrote.
