Nigerian rapper and songwriter, MI Abaga, has declared a personal and philosophical shift in how he views leadership, stating, “I’m a wolf, not a lion.”
The award-winning artist made this known in a reflective video shared via his verified Instagram page, where he drew symbolic comparisons between lions and wolves to challenge dominant notions of leadership—particularly within African contexts.
“In Africa, most of our leaders are lions,” MI stated, explaining that lions are typically feared, respected, have multiple partners, rest much of the time, enforce law and order, and eat first. While this image commands power, he argued that it creates a problematic leadership culture.
“But if you’re a lion’s boy, you’ll never lead the pride — and that creates an ego problem.”
In contrast, he painted wolves as symbols of selfless leadership. He described how wolves lead from behind, prioritizing the safety and well-being of the pack.
“Wolves take their place at the back of the pack, protecting everyone and eating only after everyone else has been fed,” he said.
“For a lion to become a wolf, he must see himself as smaller than he is, let go of so much, and commit to only one woman,” the rapper added, pointing to humility and self-discipline as defining traits of true leadership.
MI admitted he once embraced the lion archetype. “Two albums ago, I called myself a lion,” he confessed. “But life has taught me differently. Now, I want to be the wolf.”
His message coincides with the recent release of his single Mr Fantastic, which dropped five days ago and is part of his forthcoming album The Wolf. The project, he noted, will be released in parts and signals a new era in his music and mindset—one where leadership is rooted in service, not dominance.
With The Wolf on the horizon, MI Abaga’s declaration reflects more than just artistic evolution; it’s a call for a reimagined, more empathetic model of leadership in both music and society.
