Alaafin calls for respect for human life in New Year message

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has urged Nigerians to place respect for human life at the centre of their actions, describing life as sacred and deserving of protection.

The monarch gave the advice in his New Year message, delivered through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, on Wednesday. He said living out the ethic of life requires understanding its source, meaning and how it should be reflected in daily conduct.

According to the Alaafin, human beings are created in the image of God and therefore possess inherent dignity and immeasurable worth from conception to natural death. He noted that this includes unborn children, the elderly, persons with special needs and others who may be marginalised in society.

“To be created in the likeness of God means that each human bears His image and a value beyond individual attributes or personal achievements,” he said, adding that no other creature shares this privileged status.

Oba Owoade explained that although God’s image in humanity is not something tangible, it establishes human worth at the highest level and affirms the uniqueness of human life.

He said the miracle of life in the womb and the body’s ability to heal itself reflect God’s presence in humanity, describing humans as “breathtaking creatures” who embody the fingerprint of the Creator.

The Alaafin stressed that human value is not determined by ethnicity, race, gender, age, physical ability or social status, but by belonging to the human family created by God.

He added that human dignity flows from the sanctity of life and cannot be lost or forfeited, noting that dependence on others or lack of ability does not diminish the worth bestowed on every human being by God.