Celebrities Demand Cancellation of Tyla’s Nigeria Show Over Xenophobia
A growing number of Nigerians, including celebrities and social media influencers, have launched an online campaign opposing South African singer Tyla’s planned concert in Lagos, citing ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
The campaign, tagged “South Africa thinks we’re fools,” gained momentum days after the announcement of Tyla’s December concert in Nigeria.
Many supporters of the campaign argued that the Grammy-winning singer has not publicly condemned the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, despite widespread reports of violence against foreign nationals, including Nigerians.
Some social media users also accused South Africa of frequently denying Nigerian artistes entry into the country while expecting Nigerian fans to support South African entertainers.
Among those backing the campaign is media personality Do2dtun, who criticised Nigerians willing to attend the concert.
He referenced previous threats allegedly made against Nigerian music star Burna Boy over his stance on xenophobia, arguing that Nigerians have often failed to defend their own artistes.
Former Big Brother Naija housemate Pere Egbi also called on the Nigeria Immigration Service to deny Tyla and her team entry visas, insisting that Nigeria should reciprocate the treatment allegedly received by Nigerian entertainers in South Africa.
Media personality Solomon Buchi described the planned concert as insensitive, arguing that Tyla’s silence on xenophobic attacks had angered many Nigerians.
He said the singer’s decision to perform in Nigeria without publicly addressing the attacks was viewed by some as disrespectful.
Content creator Sea King also backed calls for a boycott, urging organisers to reconsider the event in light of public sentiment.
Another social media commentator, Izzy Ogbeide, blamed the situation on what he described as the Federal Government’s failure to adequately defend Nigerians abroad.
Digital creator Isa Bako urged Nigerians to boycott the concert. However, he also made comments encouraging violence against attendees.
There is no indication that Tyla or her management has responded publicly to the campaign or the criticisms at the time of filing this report.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns over xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have periodically strained relations between citizens of both countries.
