Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved the deposition of Oba Joseph Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu following his conviction in the United States over a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme.
Oloyede was found guilty of masterminding a scheme that defrauded federal loan and grant programmes created to support small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme reportedly siphoned more than $4.2 million.
The 62-year-old monarch, who holds both Nigerian and U.S. citizenship, was sentenced to 56 months in prison by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on August 26, 2025, after pleading guilty to wire fraud, filing false tax returns, and engaging in transactions involving criminally obtained funds.
Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, announced the monarch’s removal in a statement issued on Monday, May 11, 2026, after the state government received the Certified True Copy of the Ohio court judgment.
According to the statement, the decision followed verification of the court ruling, as the government considered it necessary to rely on official records rather than social media reports.
“The Council had justified the decision to contact the Ohio court on the ground that governmental decisions should not be based on social media reporting alone,” the statement noted.
The deposition order, signed by the governor on May 7, 2026, stated that the action was taken to preserve peace, maintain public order, and protect the integrity of the royal institution.
It added that Oba Oloyede’s conviction and guilty plea had brought the traditional stool of Apetumodu into disrepute and public embarrassment.
With the deposition, the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has now been declared vacant, while arrangements will begin for the selection of a new monarch.
Governor Adeleke also urged residents and indigenes of Ipetumodu to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding as the process of appointing a new king begins.
