The palace of the Arujale-Ojime of Okeluse Kingdom in Ondo State has issued a stern warning against disrespectful modes of address directed at the kingdom’s 22-year-old traditional ruler, Oba Oloyede Adekoya Akinghare II. In a statement released Friday by the Chief of Staff to the monarch, Prince Adefemi Olorunfemi, the palace stressed that the king must be addressed strictly as His Royal Majesty, noting that some people have been hiding under the guise of casual terms to disrespect him. The statement declared that addressing the monarch with terms such as “bro,” “blood,” or any casual expressions is highly inappropriate and will no longer be tolerated.
The palace emphasized that the king’s youth should not be mistaken for weakness or an invitation to disrespect. “The fact that His Royal Majesty is the youngest king in Yoruba land does not give room for disrespect in any form,” the statement read. “His Majesty’s leniency and calm disposition should not be mistaken for weakness, nor should it be taken as permission to do the wrong thing.” The statement further described the monarch as “Igbakeji awon orisa, the representative of the gods on earth,” stressing that the throne he occupies is sacred and central to Yoruba heritage and identity.
Oba Akinghare ascended the throne at age 16 as a secondary school student after his father’s death. As the only son among four children of the late monarch, tradition demanded he automatically assume the royal position. The kingmakers quickly pronounced him as the new traditional ruler, and the state government approved the choice. The palace has called on residents of Okeluse Kingdom and the general public to uphold the dignity of the throne, warning that such disrespectful actions will be met with strong and decisive measures.