Osogbo: Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke has removed Oba Joseph Oloyede as Apetumodu of Ipetumodu following his fraud conviction.
The governor’s spokesperson, Malam Olawale Rasheed, issued a statement on Monday in Osogbo.
The statement said Oba Oloyede’s deposition came after his conviction in the United States on tax fraud and money laundering charges, for which he was sentenced in August 2025.
Rasheed explained that after the Ohio court’s judgment, the governor received a Certified True Copy (CTC), which served as the official basis for the deposition.
He noted that, in 2025, after learning of the sentence, the State Executive Council directed the Ministry of Local Government to formally request the judgment’s certified true copy from the Ohio court. This step ensured proper documentation prior to any government action.
He explained that the council decided to contact the Ohio court to ensure government decisions rest on official documents, not just social media reports.
Rasheed noted that the Deposition Order, which the governor signed on May 7, aims to maintain peace, order, and good governance, and to preserve the honour and integrity of the royal stool.
He added that the order cites the fraudulent conduct of Oba Oloyede, as the United States court established.
Rasheed stated that the deposed traditional ruler pleaded guilty to the crimes, and his public trial and conviction damaged the institution of Obaship and the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu.
He said this necessitated his deposition.
Rasheed said Oba Oloyede was convicted and sentenced on Aug. 26, 2025, by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio for wire fraud, filing false tax returns and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property, which led to his subsequent deposition in May 2026.
He said the deposition rendered the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu vacant, and the necessary process to appoint a new Apetumodu will begin at the appropriate time.
The governor appealed to the people of Ipetumodu to remain peaceful and law-abiding as the selection of a new traditional ruler continues.