Lebo M Takes Zimbabwean Comedian Learnmore Jonasi to Court, Sues Him for $27M

• South African composer Lebohang 'Lebo M' Morake has ramped up his legal fight with Zimbabwean Learnmore Jonasi
• After failing to solve their dispute amicably and away from the courts, Lebo M has seemingly decided to take the difficult route
• This all started when Learnmore Jonasi made a joke about the English translation of The Lion King soundtrack, Nants' Ingonyama

It seems as though South African composer Lebo M is not letting the famous The Lion King translator go that easily. In a bid to restore the dignity of Circle of Life/Nants' Ingonyama, he has ramped up his fight against Zimbabwean comedian, Learnmore Jonasi.

After failing to reach a settlement in the $27 million lawsuit, Lebo M has reportedly ramped things up.

In a lengthy statement, Lebo M said the song is not merely a track, but a praise song which has a much deeper meaning than what Jonasi translated.

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“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,” he said in part.

Lebo M heads to court

In a statement, Lebo M's spokesperson, Tshepo Mboni, confirmed that they do intend to fight this in court

“Lebo M has consistently chosen dignity over noise. However, the continued refusal to engage in constructive discussions, coupled with ongoing public misrepresentation, leaves us with no alternative but to proceed through formal legal channels,” the statement reads.

They further stated that they intend to fight tooth and nail to restore the true meaning of the song.

“This is no longer discourse - it is a strategic attempt to pressure and mislead. We will not allow legacy, culture and intellectual property to be negotiated in the court of public opinion.” We approached this matter with openness. That door has been closed repeatedly. We now move forward with clarity, focus and the full weight of the law behind us.”

What you need to know about Lebo M's legal battle with Learnmore Jonasi

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Lebo M signals U-turn in $27 million lawsuit against Learnmore Jonasi

• It all started when Learnmore Jonasi explained the meaning of The Lion King song to One 54 hosts Akbar and Godfrey on their YouTube podcast, where he said it means, "Look, there's a lion. Oh, my God!"
• Lebo M hit back at Learnmore Jonasi by making threats to sue him if he did not do the translation correctly, arguing that he failed to conduct proper research about the song and its true meaning, further arguing that he is diluting his legacy
• After a nasty back-and-forth and a war of words, Learnmore Jonasi's fans hit back at Lebo M, saying they did not even know him, as they did not understand why he was so offended by his comedic translation

Zim comedian served papers during standup

In more Learnmore Jonasi updates from Briefly News, the Zimbabwean comedian was served court papers during a stand-up comedy show, and he turned the surprising moment into a joke.

On 24 March 2026, Learnmore Jonasi went on a Facebook page and shared a video of him being served papers while onstage performing.

Source: Briefly News