The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has confirmed Oba Joseph Oloyede’s deposition as Apetumodu of Ipetumodu.
The ruling came after Oloyede was convicted in the United States of America for tax fraud and money laundering.
The governor took action after receiving the Certified True Copy of the Ohio court ruling that convicted the monarch.
According to a statement obtained in Osogbo on Monday by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the State Executive Council decided “last year that the Ministry of Local Government should write to the Ohio court to request the Certified True Copy of the judgment to form the basis for the government action.”
The statement further read, “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.”
“In the Deposition Order signed by His Excellency on 7th May, 2026, the action was predicated on the need to maintain peace, order, and good government as well as preserve the honor and integrity of the royal stool.
“The Deposition Order further stated that the fraudulent conduct of Oba Joseph Oloyede, as found by the US court and to which he pleaded guilty, and his public trial and conviction have brought the institution of Obaship and the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu to disrepute and public odium; hence the resort to deposition.”
Oba Joseph Oloyede was sentenced to 56 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud, making false tax returns, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, United States of America, on August 26, 2025.
Rasheed further said, “By this deposition, the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has been declared vacant, while the necessary process will be put in place to appoint a new Apetumodu of Ipetumodu at the appropriate time.”
“The governor appeals to sons and daughters of Ipetumodu to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the process of installing a new king is being processed.”
