No defining conflict – MI Abaga clarifies departure from Chocolate City

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.