guess I’ve always had some leadership abilities, and sport is my vehicle to express those capabilities,” says Maro Itoje, who’s had quite the gear shift this season. Not that his career has been short in honours or responsibility or prominence – five Premierships, three European Champions Cups, three Six Nations titles and player of the series in his second tour with The British & Irish Lions all front his list of accolades – but the Saracens second row has had his sage reputation somewhat officially formalised in the past months: first, by being handed the captaincy of his club in August, and then by being asked to lead England at this year’s Six Nations.
“It was a tremendous honour,” Itoje says of his appointment at national level. “It’s a huge responsibility, but I think I’m at a point in my life where I’m ready for that extra responsibility. It’s my job now to work hard to make sure I’m able to do it justice.”
Art and culture are other pillars whose virtues Itoje has thrown himself behind. In 2023, he also co-founded Akoje Gallery, an African art gallery that provides a global platform for African, Caribbean and diaspora artists.
“We believe African art is amazing and truly special, but a lot of artists in the continent don’t have the opportunity of exposure,” says Itoje, a collector of African art himself, who was first drawn to it for its dynamism, colours and textures.
The venture, whose debut exhibition was in December 2023, has existed as a virtual gallery and done stints around the world, and is currently slated for two London shows in May. The first will feature the mixed-media artist Olaoluwa Qozeem’s ‘Happiness Will Bless Us’, followed by Oluwole Omofemi’s study of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
In a similar vein, Itoje’s non-profit Akoje Residency provides pathways for African, Caribbean, diaspora and SWANA region artists to develop their craft, offering a select number a three-month stay at Dumfries House, Scotland, where they can make use of an array of workshops – screen-printing and stonework among them – on the estate.
The notions of education, grassroots engagement and using status for progressing worthy causes have long been associated with Itoje, who has become a sort of de facto spokesperson for representation and the topics of the day.
He has talked openly about politics, going on the record in 2022 to say he would vote for Labour – an atypical move in the sporting world, where public profiles are so precisely managed. With the Black Lives Matter protests, he became an even more prominent voice on race and structural injustices. Naturally, there have been questions put to him about whether he has intentions to enter the political machine.
“With politics, there’s many ways in which one could contribute,” he says. “While I’m not saying here that I’m going to run for elected office, there’s a number of ways in which one can be political without doing that.”
His philanthropic work is perhaps a vessel for that.
“You can’t really divide politics from the personal. I’m sure it will remain a part of my life in some way, shape or form. The degree and measure, I do not know at this point, but I’m sure it will.”
The main focus for now, however, is rugby, and there’s somewhat of a mantra that keeps Itoje on this constant path, even with the cyclone of pressure that comes with life in the public eye: keep the main thing the main thing.
“I am a big believer in having things to do outside of rugby”, says Itoje. “And while it’s important to have other things that are engaging, it is also important to keep the main thing the main thing. Rugby is my primary job at this point in time. So, I need to make sure that I give all of my attention to rugby and service all the professional aspects of my career for me to be able to perform at the highest level for a long period of time.”