16-Year Old Becomes King In Ondo

A 16-year-old has been enthroned as the new Ojima Arujale of Okeluse in Ose Local government area of Ondo state.

He is Oba Adeyeoba Oloyede Adekoya, Akinghare II, a Senior Secondary School II student.

A source from the community confirmed that the young king is the only son of the late monarch, and that if the installation should be delayed till he is of age, manipulation could set in.

According to the source, the tradition of the community entails that if a King is dead, his younger brother would act as a Regent while the heir to the throne will be sent on exile for 90days to undergo traditional rites.

He however noted that the leaders of the community took precautions to avoid crisis and made the first daughter of the late king a Regent, first time such would happen in the history of the town, while the heir would go into seclusion.

His words: ” When an Okeluse Oba joins his ancestors, his immediate younger brother becomes the Eleki or a regent, who acts as a regent till the Oba “elect” returns from seclusion.

“But our late monarch had a son. The family thought it would be dangerous to have a man among the brothers of the late Oba as a regent because he may not want to relinquish power in the future.

“The regent or Eleki is Princess Aderonke Adeyeoba, the late king’s first daughter. So far, the transition has been very peaceful and smooth.

“In Okeluse, the Obaship title is from father to son. It is the Oba’s family who exclusively handles the installation of a new Oba in Okeluse.

“The young son will go back to school and by the grace of God to the university so that the institution will not tie him down”.

The new King who came out of 90 days seclusion, traditionally known as Mama Mebo’s house would be given a Staff of Office as soon as other coronation rites are completed.