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King Oyo Rukidi IV’s Birthday: A Brief About His Lifestory

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Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, King Oyo, is the reigning Omukama of Toro, in Uganda. He was born on 16 April 1992 to King Patrick David Mathew Kaboyo Olimi III and Queen Best Kemigisa Kaboyo. Three and half years later in 1995, Oyo ascended the throne and succeeded his father to become the 12th ruler of the 180-year-old Kingdom of Toro.

The death of his father King Kaboyo in 1995 meant the Crown Prince had to assume the role of King during his toddler years. At 4 a.m, on September 12, 1995, Oyo was crowned King amidst a jubilant crowd and entered the palace as the new ruler of the Kingdom of Toro. He was served his first meal as King, which consisted of millet dough. He sat in the lap of a virgin girl, and he swore allegiance to the Crown while lying on his side on the ground.

The cultural rituals were followed by a religious ceremony presided over by the Anglican Bishop, Eustance Kamanyire. President Yoweri Museveni attended the coronation celebrations and paid tribute to the new King.

Three regents were charged with overseeing King Oyo's growth into the role of King and with handling the cultural affairs of the Kingdom during the King's childhood and youth. At the time of his coronation, the three regents included his mother, Queen Best (the Queen Mother); his aunt/godmother, Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya; and President Museveni.

The late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the leader of Libya, was a patron of the Kingdom of Toro with close ties to the royal family. The 9-year-old king King Oyo named Gaddafi the "defender" of the Kingdom and invited him to attend the 6th coronation anniversary celebrations in 2001. Gaddafi had made donations to the Kingdom, helping pay for refurbishments to the Palace in Fort Portal.

One of the main duties of the King is to lobby for donations for economic and social welfare projects for the wellbeing of his subjects. These include health, education, economic and cultural projects. The latter is important to build the people's confidence in the King and promote strong cultural identity. Supported by his regents and family, Oyo travels the world seeking foreign assistance for the development of Toro. Most recently, Oyo received 100 wheelchairs on behalf of the Kingdom which were distributed to five regions of Toro. Other humanitarian projects are endorsed by the Kingdom through the Batebe Foundation of Toro which runs a special education fund for needy children.

Aside from his official duties, King Oyo goes to school and has time to play with his friends. However, his status dictates that he goes to private school and has a personal security guard at all times. Oyo spent two years in London and attended preschool there. On return to Uganda, he got elementary level of education at The Aga Khan Primary school in Kampala. He later on went to Kampala International School Uganda for high school and says he enjoyed art, music, math, and swimming. He later on enrolled for a Degree in Business Management from Winchester University in the United Kingdom. In October 2013, three years later, King Oyo graduated from the University of Winchester with a bachelor's degree.