The Lion King composer Lebo M is not impressed after a viral moment on podcast One54 Africa mocked the meaning behind the anthem Circle of Life’s opening chant “Nants’ Ingonyama” by misinterpreting the idiom and distorting the intended meaning by offering a direct translation.
In the viral clips, Zimbabwean standup comedian Learnmore Jonasi can be heard telling the two hosts, Godfrey and Akbar Gbajabiamila, that the chant translates to “Look, there is a lion, oh my God!” — to which they react with disappointment and shock. The viral clip has been viewed 2.7-million times on TikTok and 846,000 times on Instagram in five days, with many social media users reacting that it has ruined their childhood.
In a lengthy statement, Lebo M clarified on the cultural, linguistic and contextual nuances that were lost.
“Nants’ Ingonyama is not a viral catchphrase. It is not an internet remix. It is Praise Imbongi — royal praise poetry carried in metaphor, lineage and living memory,” Lebo M said.
“Rooted in the praise traditions of the Zulu and Xhosa people and introduced to global audiences through The Lion King, the chant translates to ‘Here comes a lion’ — a proclamation of arrival, honour and sovereignty. It is praise, not parody. It is heritage and not hashtag.
“To reinterpret it outside its cultural framework is to detach it from the very tradition that gives it meaning. Its translation is documented. Its origins are lived. Its significance is inherited, not invented.”
Lebo M further detailed that the full contextual translation was officially documented in The Lion King’s 2019 soundtrack cover notes, which reinforced “the chant’s meaning as royal praise in metaphor rooted in isiZulu and isiXhosa tradition”.
“The opening line: ‘Nants’ ingonyama bagithi Baba’ was officially translated and documented in The Lion King 2019 soundtrack cover liner notes as follows: ‘All hail the king’,” he said.
“Further lines were translated in the 2019 liner notes as: ‘Sithi hum ngonyama’ (praise chant) [and] ‘Hay! baba, sizongqoba’ (Through you we will emerge victoriously). ‘Ngonyama, ngonyama, ngonyama’ (We all bow in the presence of the king).
“Ingonyama means ‘lion’. In royal metaphor, the lion represents kingship, ancestral authority and sovereign presence. This is Praise Imbongi. It is ceremonial. It is spiritual. It is generational.
“Nants’ Ingonyama was conceived and performed by Lebo M as an African vocal proclamation grounded in Southern African tradition. It is distinct from the English composition ‘Circle of Life’. The chant stands independently as an African Praise Imbongi in royal metaphor.”
Lebo M further lambasted the erasure that the viral moment had triggered.
“Attempts to reinterpret the chant outside of its cultural framework ignore the documented translation and the lived tradition from which it originates,” he said.
“We welcome discussion. What we do not welcome is the erosion of cultural literacy. Lebo M did not simply perform a song — he introduced African language and royal praise in metaphor to the global cinematic archive. That is not viral content; that is history. As custodians of legacy, we will always choose education over outrage and elevation over noise.”
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