Ademola Adeleke has approved the deposition of Oba Joseph Oloyede following his conviction in the United States on charges related to tax fraud and money laundering.
The decision was announced in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, who said the action followed the receipt of a Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by a court in Ohio.
According to the statement, the Osun State Executive Council had earlier directed the Ministry of Local Government to obtain the official court judgment before any action could be taken, insisting that government decisions should not rely solely on reports circulating on social media.
The deposition order, signed by Governor Adeleke on May 7, 2026, stated that the action was necessary to preserve the integrity, honour, and dignity of the traditional institution and maintain peace and good governance in the community.
The statement further noted that the monarch’s conviction and guilty plea in the US had brought the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu into public disrepute.
Oba Oloyede was reportedly sentenced on August 26, 2025, by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio to 56 months imprisonment for wire fraud, filing false tax returns, and engaging in transactions involving criminally derived property.
Following the deposition, the stool of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Ipetumodu has now been declared vacant, while the process of selecting a new traditional ruler is expected to begin in due course.
Governor Adeleke also appealed to residents and indigenes of Ipetumodu to remain peaceful and law-abiding throughout the transition process.
