Osun Governor Deposes Apetumodu of Ipetumodu Over U.S. Fraud Conviction
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has formally approved the deposition of Oba Joseph Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu following his conviction in the United States for tax fraud and money laundering.
The governor’s decision was based on the Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, which sentenced the monarch to 56 months’ imprisonment in August 2025 for wire fraud, false tax returns, and illicit monetary transactions.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the State Executive Council had earlier directed the Ministry of Local Government to obtain the official court judgment to ensure that government action was grounded in verified records rather than social media reports.
The Deposition Order, signed on May 7, 2026, emphasized that the monarch’s fraudulent conduct and subsequent conviction had tarnished the dignity of the royal stool, bringing the institution of Obaship into disrepute. The order stressed the need to safeguard peace, order, and the integrity of traditional leadership in the state.
With the deposition, the Apetumodu stool has now been declared vacant, and the state government has assured that due process will be followed in appointing a new king. Governor Adeleke appealed to indigenes of Ipetumodu to remain calm and law-abiding as the succession process unfolds.
