By Ayo Kehinde
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has deposed the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, following his conviction and imprisonment for fraud in the United States.
The decision was announced on Monday in a statement issued on Monday by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said the decision came after State Government received a Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by a United States District Court in the Northern District of Ohio
Oba Oloyede was convicted on August 26, 2025, for tax fraud and sentenced to 56 months imprisonment by the US court. However, the conviction had triggered protests in Ipetumodu, where residents demanded his removal from the royal stool.
According to the statement, the Osun State Executive Council had earlier directed the Ministry of Local Government to obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgement from the Ohio court before any formal action could be taken.
The government said the move was necessary to ensure that its decision was based on verified legal documentation rather than social media reports.
“In the Deposition Order signed by His Excellency on May 7, 2026, the action was predicated on the need to maintain peace, order and good government as well as preserve the honour and integrity of the royal stool”, the statement read.
It added that the monarch’s conduct, guilty plea, public trial and conviction had brought the institution of Obaship and the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu into disrepute and public odium.
With the deposition now effective, the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has been declared vacant pending the commencement of the process to appoint a new monarch.
Governor Adeleke also appealed to citizens and indigenous Ipetumodu to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the process of selecting a new traditional ruler begins.
