The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Engr.) Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has called on Nigerians to place the sanctity of human life at the centre of national conduct, urging citizens to defend, protect and value every human being.

In a New Year message issued on Wednesday through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch said respect for human life must translate from words into daily practice, stressing that life is sacred and should guide individual and collective actions.

Oba Owoade noted that human beings, created in the image of God, possess inherent dignity and immeasurable worth from conception to natural death, including unborn children, the elderly, persons with special needs, and those marginalised by society.

He said: “To be created in the likeness of God means that each human bears His image and, with it, a value beyond unique characteristics or individual attributes,” adding that humanity alone enjoys the privilege of reflecting the Creator’s image.

The monarch described human life as a mystery that underscores mankind’s highest worth, pointing to the wonder of life from the womb and the body’s capacity for healing as evidence of divine imprint.

He emphasised that human value is not determined by ethnicity, race, gender, age, ability, or social status, but by shared membership in the human family.

“Men, women, and children should be respected regardless of mental capacity, physical ability or social position,” he said.

According to the Alaafin, human dignity flows from the sanctity of life and is bestowed by God, not earned by competence or independence.

He added: “Dignity cannot be forfeited; dependence on others does not diminish human worth.”