South African music sensation Tyla will no longer perform in Nigeria as part of her upcoming world tour, with the Lagos concert disappearing from her official tour schedule amid growing diplomatic tensions between South Africa and Nigeria.
While no official explanation has been provided for the change, the development follows calls from some Nigerian social media users to boycott the singer’s planned performance as anger continues to grow over recent anti-immigrant violence in South Africa.
The Grammy-winning artist announced her global APOP* tour earlier this week, with performances scheduled across major cities including New York, Paris and Cape Town. Lagos had initially been included as one of the tour stops, timed to coincide with Nigeria’s popular year-end entertainment season, commonly known as “Detty December.”
However, by Friday the Nigerian date had been removed from the tour listing on Tyla’s official website. Her representatives have not publicly commented on the decision.
The change comes as relations between South Africa and Nigeria remain under pressure following months of anti-immigrant protests in parts of South Africa. Some demonstrations have turned violent, with foreign nationals targeted amid accusations that migrants contribute to crime, unemployment and pressure on public services.
Nigeria has been among the most vocal critics of the attacks, with the issue dominating discussions between senior government officials from both countries during recent diplomatic engagements.
South Africa has long attracted migrants from across the continent due to its relatively developed economy. However, analysts argue that economic hardship, high unemployment and service delivery challenges have fuelled anti-immigrant sentiment, with foreign nationals increasingly being blamed for broader social and economic problems.
According to police, several foreign nationals have been killed in violence linked to the protests, while thousands of African citizens have returned to their home countries. Reports indicate that around 1,500 Nigerians are among those who have left South Africa.
Human rights organisations have also raised concerns over the handling of the unrest, accusing authorities of failing to adequately protect affected communities during the protests.
Neither Tyla nor her management team has issued a statement explaining the removal of the Lagos performance.
Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Main Image: Billboard
