Nigerian rapper and music executive MI Abaga has addressed questions surrounding his departure from Chocolate City, clarifying that his exit was linked to corporate restructuring rather than personal conflicts.
In a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo monitored by MyNewsGh, MI Abaga said, “There was a merger with Warner for them to set up a Nigeria entity, and that created leadership reshuffling.
In the fallout of that, there will be repositioning, and of course a little bit of conflict here and there. But I wouldn’t say that there was a defining conflict.”
He added that his decision to step down was deliberate, aimed at allowing the company to grow without him in a leadership position.
“I felt that the best thing for me to do was to let the business grow without me in a leadership position. So, I made a decision to step down,” he explained.
MI Abaga also reflected on his vision for Chocolate City, saying he had imagined the label evolving into “the Maven of today,” a reference to building an influential ecosystem for Nigerian artists.
However, he acknowledged that stepping back was necessary given new leadership and shifting priorities.
Despite leaving a leadership role, MI Abaga affirmed that he continues to benefit from the label’s growth. “The real upside came when I left. The CEO now, Abui, is maybe the most stellar CEO in the history of Nigerian music. He is understated but extremely effective,” he said.
