The palace of the Arujale-Ojime of Okeluse Kingdom in Ondo State, Nigeria, has issued a public statement urging residents and the wider public to show proper respect to the traditional ruler, warning against the use of informal or derogatory forms of address.
In a statement released by the Chief of Staff to the monarch, Ambassador Prince Adefemi Michael Olorunfemi, the palace stressed that Oba Oloyede Adekoya Akinghare II must be addressed exclusively as His Royal Majesty at all times.
The statement follows concerns over what the palace described as increasing instances of casual or inappropriate references to the monarch, including the use of slang or familiar expressions.
According to the Chief of Staff, such language is considered disrespectful to the throne and inconsistent with Yoruba cultural norms.
While acknowledging that Oba Akinghare II is the youngest reigning monarch in Yorubaland, the palace emphasised that age should not be interpreted as grounds for diminishing royal authority or status.
The monarch’s calm and conciliatory leadership style, the statement added, should not be mistaken for weakness.
The palace further underscored the cultural and spiritual significance of the throne, describing the monarch as a custodian of tradition and a symbolic representative of ancestral authority.
Respect for the king, it said, remains mandatory regardless of an individual’s social standing, age, or position.
Residents of Okeluse Kingdom and members of the public beyond the community were urged to conduct themselves in a manner that preserves the dignity of the palace and honours long-standing cultural traditions.
The statement concluded by reiterating that respect for the throne is “non-negotiable”.
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