At the tender age of 17, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, (His name is quite a mouthful) is the youngest monarch in the world. The boy king rules over 2 million subjects in Tooro, one of Uganda's kingdoms.

King Oyo loves the Twilight book series and films, rap music, soccer, traditional dancing and hanging with his friends at school. He is just a regular kid who would like to be ordinary, but can't. In 1995, a crown was placed on his head a month after his father, King David Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II, died of a sudden heart attack at age 49. A year after the king's death, the then toddler was recoronated which resulted in days of celebrations. At one point, the child grew weary of his heavy lion-skin crown, snatched it off and ran crying into the arms of his mommy.

Since then, the young boy has navigated his royal duties with the help of his queen mother, Best Kemigisa, a prime minister, board of regents and a variety of parish councilmen. The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni and Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi are also on hand to give King Oyo advice on matters of the state. In the Toro kingdom, it is forbidden for women to take the royal reigns, so the queen mother and older sister were not even considered as possible replacements after the death of King Patrick.

At age eighteen, King Oyo will be the only one making the tough decisions and hopefully, he'll be able to meet any challenge head on. The six-foot-tall king tells CNN, "It's a huge responsibility," he says, "but I have a lot of support from my mother, my sister and others, so I know I can do it."

The Batooroo tribe makes up most of Toro's population. Historically, the poor region that makes up present day Uganda, had five kingdoms; Bunyoro, Ankole, Toro, Buganda and Busoga. The latter was created by the British colonial administration.

As king, the teen oversees fund-raising efforts for community education and health projects. He also spearheads cultural events. At the top of his busy agenda is managing the tax dollars given to his region by Uganda.

The 12th king of Tooro lives part time in a palace high on a hill in a rural area called Fort Portal. He has another palace that is located in the citified Ugandan capital of Kampala where he goes to school. Constantly surrounded by phalanx of security, the young boy loves the fact that his friends at school treat him as an equal.

At his other palace, King Oyo claims he hates seeing older people kissing his feet when he stands before them. He tells CNN, "I still find it a little uncomfortable when people bow, especially the older ones," says the king. "My friends at school (could not) care less that I'm a king. They like me for who I am, not for what I am. At times, I'll have things I want to do, but I can't just get up and do them like ordinary teenagers do," he says. "I can't always do what I want because I have obligations."

King Oyo has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders but there are many who feel his youthful enthusiasm could only take the country to greater heights. Ruhweza Remigious, 34, a carpenter who lives in a mud hut across from the palace in Fort Portal tells CNN: "Most Africans are led by older people who don't do anything. He is young and eager, and we hope he will give us a better life and modernize our infrastructures."