South African music star Tyla Laura Seethal has called for greater unity across Africa, weeks after facing criticism from Nigerians over her silence on xenophobic attacks involving Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa.
Tyla made the remarks while speaking at the South African Music Awards over the weekend, where she expressed pride in both her South African identity and her broader African heritage.
The singer said being South African remained an important part of her identity, while emphasising that she was equally proud to be African. She also expressed hope that the continent would eventually achieve greater unity.
“And I am just so happy to be South African. I’m happy to be African most of all. I pray one day to see a unified Africa. It’s so important,” she said.
Her comments come against the backdrop of criticism she received from some Nigerians after she did not publicly speak out against reported xenophobic attacks targeting foreigners in South Africa.
The backlash centred largely on expectations that prominent African entertainers should use their platforms to address issues affecting Africans across national borders, particularly where tensions between South Africans and Nigerians are concerned.
Tyla’s latest remarks, however, place emphasis on a broader sense of African identity and the importance of unity among countries on the continent.
The singer has maintained a strong connection to her South African roots throughout her rise to international prominence, while her music has also contributed to the growing global visibility of South African and African pop culture.
The controversy intensified after Tyla subsequently removed her previously scheduled Lagos concert from the list of performances for her upcoming tour.
The development attracted further attention among Nigerian fans, particularly given the singer’s popularity in the country and her position as one of the leading young African music acts on the international stage.
Her latest call for a unified Africa could therefore be viewed in the context of the wider debate over the responsibilities of African artists and public figures when social and political issues affect people across the continent.
While Tyla did not directly address the earlier criticism in the remarks at the awards, her statement made clear her desire for an Africa in which the divisions between countries and peoples are reduced.
Her prayer for a “unified Africa” also comes at a time when African musicians increasingly occupy influential positions in shaping conversations about identity, culture and the continent’s place on the global stage.