A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor Benjamin Keagborekuzi Ikenchuku Gbenoba, Dein of the Agbor Kingdom in Nigeria, and express deep appreciation for his friendship with America.

Whereas, born in 1977, His Royal Majesty Keagborekuzi I was crowned dein, or king, of Agbor in 1979 after the untimely death of his father. The youngest crowned monarch in the world, he is king of Agbor, an ancient kingdom in the rain forest region of South-South Nigeria; and

Whereas, the young king was taken to the United Kingdom in 1981, where he remained until 2001 while a regent reigned in his stead. He attended the Catholic School of Kent, the College Bearwood in Surrey, College of San Benedict in Ealing, and Birbeck College in London, and he earned various degrees; and

Whereas, in 2003, he helped to resolve a dispute between the Agbor-Obi Youth Movement and the police, and his transcultural activism has gained much notoriety. At age 29, he became chancellor of the University of Ilorin, the youngest chancellor of any public or private university in Africa; and

Whereas, Dein Keagborekuzi I has influenced various cultural and community development reforms, and he has partnered with the government to stop human trafficking in his chiefdom of Agbor; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is deeply grateful for his role before the Pan African community and his cooperation with members of our community. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Benjamin Keagborekuzi Ikenchuku Gbenoba, Dein of the Agbor Kingdom in Nigeria, and express deep appreciation for his friendship with America.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dein Benjamin Keagborekuzi Ikenchuku Gbenoba, Dein of the Agbor Kingdom in Nigeria.

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