Sometimes celebrities trend for the right reasons, and other times for the wrong ones. Unfortunately for Tiwa Savage, her recent appearance on American podcast The Breakfast Club has landed her in the middle of controversy.
The issue came up when co-host Loren Larosa raised the topic of South African singer Tyla’s racial identity. Tyla has publicly identified as “coloured,” a term widely accepted in South Africa to describe people of mixed descent. However, the word carries a painful history in the United States, where it’s considered offensive. Larosa asked Tiwa for her thoughts on the debate surrounding Tyla’s choice of identity and the backlash that followed.
Tiwa responded that “two truths can be real at the same time,” noting that while “coloured” is normal in South Africa, it has a negative connotation in the U.S. She added that she didn’t believe Tyla meant any harm.
But her next comment sparked outrage. Tiwa explained that in her culture, when someone is seen as being in the wrong, elders sometimes step in to apologize on their behalf. She then offered an apology to anyone offended by Tyla’s use of the word, saying she hoped it was clear that no harm was intended.
This did not sit well with many South Africans, who felt Tiwa had no business apologizing for Tyla, especially since they believe Tyla said nothing wrong. The backlash quickly spread online, with criticism aimed not just at Tiwa but at Nigerians in general.
One X user wrote: “She has no right to even comment on this issue as she had no idea of SA history and why this term is legally protected in SA. Just go Google.” Another commented: “WE didn’t mean it? Which 1 is ‘we’? Is she South African? She could have just chosen not to answer.”
