One of Uganda's last remaining kings turned 18 in a boisterous four-day ceremony that ended Sunday and allowed him to take full control of his kingdom in the western part of the country. King Oyo is among the world's youngest reigning monarchs. He ascended to the throne at age 3 after his father died in 1995. As a minor, kingdom officials had appointed a board of advisers to help him rule.
The board was disbanded to mark his birthday, which means the teen can now make major kingdom decisions on his own without consulting with his advisers. "He needs to use this opportunity to help us help ourselves," said Sarah Namara, 25. "He has a lot of work to do especially in ensuring people our age have businesses opportunities."