By Desire Emmanuel
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Monday, May 11, approved the deposition of Oba Joseph Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Ife North Local Government following his conviction in the United States of America on tax fraud and money laundering charges.
The governor’s decision followed the receipt of the Certified True Copy of the Ohio court judgment which convicted the traditional ruler.
The Osun State Executive Council had resolved last year that the Ministry of Local Government should write the Ohio court in the United States to request for the Certified True Copy of the judgment to form the basis for the government action.
The council had justified the decision to contact the Ohio court on the ground that governmental decision should not be based on social media reporting alone.
In the Deposition Order signed by Adeleke dated May 7, the action was predicated on the need to maintain peace, order and good government as well as preserve the honour and integrity of the royal stool.
The Deposition Order further stated that the conducts of Oba Joseph Oloyede as found by the US court and which he pleaded guilty to and his public trial and conviction had brought the institution of Obaship and the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu to disrepute and public odium, hence the resort to deposition.
It will be recalled that Oba Oloyede was sentenced to 56 months imprisonment for the offences of wire fraud, making false tax returns and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property by the United States District Court in the Northern District of Ohio, United States of America on August 26, 2025.
According to a statement by the state government, by this deposition, the stool of Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has been declared vacant while necessary process will be put in place to appoint a new traditional ruler for the town at the appropriate time.
“The governor appeals to sons and daughters of Ipetumodu to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the process of appointing a new king is being processed,” the statement signed by the governor’s spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, added.
