ADO-EKITI, Nigeria — Oba Oloyede Adekoya Akinghare II, the Arujale-Ojima of Okeluse Kingdom in Ondo State and widely regarded as the youngest traditional ruler in Yorubaland, graduated on Wednesday from Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), with a degree in Political Science.
The 23-year-old monarch completed his studies under the College of Social and Management Sciences seven years after ascending the throne at the age of 16 following the death of his father. Videos and images from the convocation ceremony on October 21 circulated widely on social media, showing the young king in academic regalia alongside traditional beads and attire, drawing widespread admiration.
The ceremony attracted significant traditional and political figures. Among those present were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji; the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III; the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III; and the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado. The university reported 2,194 graduates, its largest class to date.
Oba Akinghare II’s path has been marked by an unusual dual role. Crowned in 2019 while still a teenager, he continued his secondary education and graduated from Greater Tomorrow International College in 2022. He later enrolled at ABUAD, where he pursued political science, explaining in a BBC Yoruba interview earlier this year that the subject related directly to his responsibilities as king. He described ordinary student experiences, including walking from his hostel to lectures and participating in campus activities such as football, while many classmates initially did not know of his royal status.
Throughout his studies, the monarch shared glimpses of university life on social media and maintained his duties as traditional ruler of Okeluse in Ose Local Government Area. His achievement has been widely celebrated as an example of prioritising education alongside cultural leadership. Online reactions praised the young Oba for demonstrating that status need not hinder academic pursuit.
In January 2026, his palace issued a public statement reminding the public to address him formally as “His Royal Majesty,” stressing that his youth did not diminish the dignity of the throne or justify casual terms of address.
Oba Akinghare II’s graduation underscores a broader narrative in contemporary Yoruba traditional institutions, where younger rulers increasingly combine centuries-old custodianship with modern education. As he steps fully into both roles—graduate and monarch—his journey from teenage king to university graduate has been framed by many as a statement on the enduring value of learning.
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