Dethroned Apetumodu Drags Adeleke to Court, Seeks to Stop Appointment of Successor

The dethroned Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has approached the state High Court, seeking an order restraining Governor Ademola Adeleke from appointing a successor to the throne.

Oloyede, who was convicted in the United States of offences bordering on fraud, is the second claimant in suit number HIF/50/2026, filed before the Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife.

In a motion on notice, he alleged that the governor did not formally notify him of any wrongdoing before initiating the process that led to his removal.

He is asking the court to restrain Adeleke and his officials from taking any steps to fill the Apetumodu stool pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Other claimants in the case are Prince Oyewusi Adewusi, Prince Isaac Adewuni and Prince Abiodun Oyetoro, who are suing on their behalf and that of other members of the Latimogun Royal Family of the Aribile Ruling House of Ipetumodu.

The defendants include Governor Adeleke, the Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Afolabi Adedeji, the Asalu of Ipetumodu and head of the kingmakers, Chief Adesoye Babalola, the Malefon of Ipetumodu, and Ife North Local Government.

The motion, dated September 16, 2026, sought an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or representatives from appointing anyone to replace Oloyede as the occupant of the throne.

Part of the motion read, “An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants/respondents either by themselves or through their servants, agents or privies from taking any step to fill the stool of the Apetu (Apetumodu) of Ipetumodu or appoint any person in place of the 2nd claimant who is the occupant of the Apetu’s stool, pending the hearing and final determination of this suit.”

Oloyede also referred to a May 11, 2026, publication by The Guardian, which reported that he had been deposed through an instrument allegedly signed by the governor on May 7, 2026.

He argued that neither the governor nor the other relevant state officials informed him of any alleged wrongdoing before the publication and purported deposition.

The hearing was, however, stalled on Monday due to the non-service of hearing notices on some of the parties.

Only counsel to the claimants, O. Ogbewe, and counsel to the fifth defendant, Soji Oyetayo, were present in court.

Ogbewe told the court that he had served the defendants with the relevant court processes.

However, Oyetayo, who represented the fifth respondent, Adesoye Babalola, said he had not been served with a hearing notice.

He consequently urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable the claimants to serve all the defendants.

In his ruling, Justice Dapo Adeniji adjourned the case to January 21, 2027, and ordered that fresh hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants.

Governor Adeleke had approved Oloyede’s deposition as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu following his conviction in the United States on tax fraud and money laundering charges.