Adeleke strips Osun king of title following guilty verdict in American court

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has given his approval for the removal of Oba Joseph Oloyede from his position as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, following a conviction in the United States of America for tax fraud and money laundering charges.

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The decision was made after the governor received a Certified True Copy of the judgment from an Ohio court, which had found the monarch guilty.

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A statement issued by Olawale Rasheed, the governor's spokesperson, revealed that the State Executive Council had previously agreed to request a Certified True Copy of the judgment from the Ohio court to inform their decision.

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This move was deemed necessary to ensure that any government action would be based on official documents rather than social media reports alone, as emphasized by the council's resolution from the previous year.

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The deposition order, signed by the governor on 7th May, 2026, cited the need to maintain peace and order, as well as preserve the honour and integrity of the royal stool, as the reason for Oba Joseph Oloyede's removal.

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The order further stated that the monarch's fraudulent conduct, which he had pleaded guilty to, had brought the institution of Obaship and the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu into disrepute, leading to his deposition.

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According to reports, Oba Joseph Oloyede was sentenced to 56 months in prison by the United States District Court in the Northern District of Ohio on August 26, 2025, for offences including wire fraud and making false tax returns.

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Following the deposition, the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has been declared vacant, with plans to appoint a new monarch at a later date, as confirmed by Rasheed.

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The governor has appealed to the people of Ipetumodu to remain peaceful and law-abiding during the process of selecting a new king.