By John Dike, Osogbo
The embattled monarch of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, who was recently jailed in the United States for a multi-million-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud, is set to be replaced by a new traditional ruler selected through the Ifa oracle, community sources have revealed.
The development follows the monarch’s conviction and subsequent 56-month prison sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko.
Oba Oloyede, who holds dual citizenship, was arrested during a visit to the United States in May 2024 and convicted alongside his associate, Pastor Edward Oluwasanmi, who received a 27-month sentence.
Royal family sources said that the people of Ipetumodu, under Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, are deeply embarrassed by the monarch’s actions and are already preparing to initiate the selection of a new king.
“He is no longer to be addressed as His Majesty. His conduct is sacrilegious and unheard of in the history of Ipetumodu,”
a highly placed source in one of the royal houses said.
According to insiders, two prominent ruling houses—Aribile and Fagbemoku are already consulting the Ifa oracle to determine a rightful successor, insisting that the embattled monarch was not chosen in accordance with traditional spiritual procedures.
The mood in Ipetumodu remains tense, as community members grapple with the shame and ridicule brought upon them by the conviction of their monarch.
A source close to the Aribile Ruling House said that the monarch’s criminal conviction is seen as divine retribution for defying tradition.
According to the source, “This disgrace is what happens when we ignore Ifa in selecting our king. The gods are angry. He never even slept in the palace for one day and, worse, he destroyed sacred grounds during a palace renovation, unearthing the remains of past monarchs—an abomination in our culture.”
It was also revealed that during the 2019 selection process, 13 contestants vied for the throne, but the decision of the kingmakers allegedly ignored the guidance of the Ifa oracle. A court challenge was later filed by a concerned indigene, but the suit failed to reverse the decision.
An 83-year-old prince and retired polytechnic registrar, Prince Ayoola, reportedly warned the kingmakers and the Osun State Government against selecting Oba Oloyede at the time, describing him as unfit and unrelated to the royal lineage.
“I cautioned them then, but they refused to listen. Now, the consequences are clear to all,” Ayoola is quoted as saying.
With the monarch’s imprisonment confirmed and his return to the throne ruled out by traditional stakeholders, plans are underway to replace him. However, community leaders and kingmakers say they are awaiting a green light from the Osun State Government to formally begin the transition process.
“Nature abhors a vacuum. The gods have rejected him. He will be replaced, and this time, the Ifa oracle will decide,” a community elder stated.
Meetings among chiefs, community leaders, and kingmakers have reportedly begun in earnest to pave the way for a new monarch, one believed to be divinely approved and in line with the customs of the people.
