He was just 2 years old, making history as the youngest monarch in the world, a record recognized in the 1980 Guinness Book of World Records. Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi was born in 1977 into the royal Keagborekuzi family.
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His father, King James Obika Ikenchukwu, ruled the Agbor Kingdom until his untimely death in 1979 and as the kingdom’s hereditary succession custom, the throne automatically passed to his son, who was only two years old at the time.
Not considering his tender age, the kingdom honoured its age-old tradition and crowned Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi the Dein of Agbor, trusting his family and kinsmen to guide him in overseeing the kingdom’s affairs. However, he did not start ruling his kingdom till he was 27 years old.
After he was crowned king at age 2, he was taken abroad due to security concerns and political instability and he spent the next 25 years of his life on foreign soil receiving a western education and broadening his understanding of leadership and diplomacy.
Though physically absent, his title remained intact. When he returned to Agbor as an adult, he was faced with the challenge of reintegrating into a kingdom where an entire generation had grown up without knowing their ruler. He said:
We are still dealing with the effects of my long stay abroad because many people no longer understand what it means to serve a king.
Despite the challenges, King Keagborekuzi I has positioned himself as one of Nigeria’s most respected traditional rulers. Beyond his role as king, he has also gained international recognition.
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In 2006, at just 28 years old, he was appointed Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, making him the youngest chancellor of any university in Africa. In 2015, he became the Chancellor of West African Union University in Benin Republic.
His diplomatic influence has also earned him international honors, including the Officer of the Order of the Belgium Crown at the age of 26. He is the 18th king of the kingdom and believes Agbor has the potential to be as developed as Dubai if the right support systems were in place.
HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi I, Obi (Dein) of Agbor Kingdom in Delta State is also married but he lives a private life devoid of controversy. When asked in an interview sometime back with PUNCH about his marital status, the Dein said,
I’m married already to a strong beautiful woman. I met her at an event I attended. Only God knows how the United States, as big as it is, was able to find an Agbor woman for me. Honestly, it was very strange. I thank God because I wasn’t expecting to have met an Agbor woman there.
When asked what has been the most interesting part of being a monarch, he responded thus:
The most interesting part for me is the opportunity to be able to make a change. As a normal Nigerian, nobody would listen to you if you talk but because of my position, I have the opportunity to talk to people and they listen.
Widely referred to as the first-class king, HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi I remains a well-respected traditional ruler in Nigeria who has shown good leadership with a distinctive touch.
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