Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has been formally deposed by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke following his conviction and imprisonment in the United States over COVID-19 relief fraud.
The governor’s action came after the Osun State Government received the Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by the United States District Court in Ohio, where the monarch was found guilty of tax fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and other related financial crimes.
Oba Oloyede, who holds dual citizenship in Nigeria and the United States, was arrested in May 2024 while visiting the US for his involvement in fraudulent activities linked to COVID-19 financial support schemes.
He was subsequently sentenced on August 26, 2025, by US District Judge Christopher A. Boyko to 56 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to multiple offences, including making false tax returns and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminal proceeds.
In an official statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke said the decision to depose the monarch was taken in line with the resolution of the Osun State Executive Council, which had directed the Ministry of Local Government to obtain legal confirmation of the conviction before any formal government action.
The statement explained that the deposition order, signed by the governor on May 7, 2026, was necessary to preserve the sanctity, honour, and credibility of the traditional institution.
According to Adeleke, the monarch’s conviction and public disgrace had seriously damaged the reputation of the Apetumodu stool and the wider institution of kingship in Osun State.
He stressed that government could not allow the royal office to remain occupied by an individual whose conduct had brought the throne into disrepute.
With the deposition now in effect, the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has been declared vacant, while the appropriate legal and traditional procedures for the appointment of a new monarch will begin in due course.
Governor Adeleke urged residents, indigenes, and stakeholders in Ipetumodu to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding as the transition process unfolds.
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