Sowore Defends Tyla, Blames Leaders for Xenophobia

Omoyele Sowore, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, has publicly opposed the calls for a boycott of Grammy-winning singer Tyla's scheduled concert in Lagos State on December 22, 2023, amid rising tensions over alleged xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa. Sowore emphasized that the anger should be directed at political leaders rather than artists, stating that political figures like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are responsible for the conditions leading to xenophobia.

He argued that Tyla should not be held accountable for the actions of others, asserting that "no one should hold a talented musician like Tyla vicariously liable for the crimes of xenophobia." Sowore concluded by insisting that Tyla's concert must proceed, highlighting the need for Nigerians to focus their frustrations on the political leaders whose failures have contributed to the situation. This controversy follows the death of Nigerian national Chika Ibe in Cape Town and the federal government's efforts to address the impact of xenophobic violence on Nigerians.