The former Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Joseph Oloyede, has filed an application with the Osun State High Court seeking to prevent Governor Ademola Adeleke from selecting a successor to his traditional title while his removal remains legally contested.
Oloyede, who holds Nigerian and United States citizenship, was sentenced in August 2025 to 56 months in prison in the United States after pleading guilty to offences connected with a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $4.2 million from COVID-19 pandemic relief programmes. The Osun State Government learned of the conviction in May 2026 when it received a certified copy of the U.S. court judgment. Following this, the state declared the stool vacant and initiated the process of selecting a replacement.
Oloyede, alongside three other claimants from the Latimogun Royal Family, has challenged the removal in Suit No. HIF/50/2026. The defendants named in the suit include Adeleke, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and several key traditional leaders.
Oloyede Argues Lack of Formal Notification
In a motion submitted on September 16, 2026, Oloyede’s legal team contended that the state government failed to formally inform him of any alleged misconduct before issuing the deposition order. They pointed to an order published in the Guardian Newspaper on May 11, 2026, as proof that no prior communication occurred.
The claimants are therefore asking the court to preserve the traditional stool and prevent the installation of another monarch while the legality of Oloyede’s deposition remains before the court. The hearing, initially scheduled for January 21, 2027, was adjourned due to disputes over the proper delivery of court notices to the defendants.
Counsel for the claimants, O. Ogbewe, confirmed that some defendants had received the notices, but Soji Oyetayo, representing the fifth defendant, stated he had not. Justice Dapo Adeniji subsequently ordered the issuance of fresh notices before the proceedings could resume.
The substantive dispute will determine whether the process through which Oloyede was removed from the Apetumodu stool complied with the applicable law and whether the Osun State Government can proceed with the appointment of his successor while his challenge remains pending. Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, declined to comment directly, referring inquiries to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
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