By John Dike, Osogbo
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has approved the deposition of Oba Joseph Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Ife North Local Government Area following his conviction in the United States on charges bordering on tax fraud and money laundering.
The decision followed the receipt of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by an Ohio court in the United States.
According to the state government, the Osun State Executive Council had earlier resolved that the Ministry of Local Government should formally obtain the court judgment from the Ohio court before any official action could be taken against the monarch.
The government maintained that its action was necessary because decisions of such magnitude should not be based solely on reports circulating on social media.
In the deposition order signed by Governor Adeleke on May 7, 2026, the governor said the action was taken to preserve peace, order, and the integrity of the traditional institution.
The order stated that the conduct of Oba Oloyede, who was convicted by a United States court after pleading guilty to the offences, had brought the Apetumodu stool and the institution of kingship into disrepute.
A statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, disclosed that Oba Oloyede was sentenced on August 26, 2025, by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio to 56 months imprisonment for wire fraud, filing false tax returns, and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property.
Following the deposition, the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has been declared vacant, while the process for selecting a new traditional ruler is expected to commence in due course.
Governor Adeleke also appealed to indigenes of Ipetumodu to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding during the transition process.
