Adeleke Deposes Apetumodu Over US Fraud Conviction

Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved the deposition of Oba Joseph Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu following his conviction by a United States court on charges bordering on tax fraud and money laundering.

The state government disclosed on Monday that the action was taken after the receipt of the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the judgement delivered by an Ohio court in the United States of America.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Osun State Executive Council had earlier directed the Ministry of Local Government to formally request the CTC from the Ohio court to enable government take appropriate action based on official records rather than social media reports.

The statement explained that the deposition order, signed by Governor Adeleke on May 7, 2026, was in line with the need to preserve peace, order and good governance as well as protect the integrity of the traditional institution.

It added that the monarch’s conviction and guilty plea in the United States had brought the revered stool of Apetumodu and the institution of Obaship into disrepute.

“The fraudulent conduct of Oba Joseph Oloyede as established by the US court, alongside his public trial and conviction, has subjected the traditional institution and the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu to public odium,” the statement noted.

Oba Oloyede was reportedly sentenced to 56 months imprisonment by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on August 26, 2025, after being found guilty of wire fraud, filing false tax returns and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property.

Following the deposition, the Osun State Government declared the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu vacant, adding that steps would be taken in due course to commence the process of selecting a new monarch.

Governor Adeleke also appealed to indigenes of Ipetumodu to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding during the transition process.