Race To Succeed Incarcerated Osun Monarch Heats Up As Gov Adeleke Hints At Dethronement

Governor Ademola Adeleke hinted at the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu , Oba Joseph Oloyede getting dethroned on Friday following his directive that the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Dosu Babatunde should take measures to rectify the situation without delay.

Ipetumodu is the headquarters of Ife North local government.

Recall that Oba Joseph Oloyede, who is the 27th Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, got a four-year sentence in the United States of America a few weeks ago.

He had faced trial following his involvement in COVID-19 loan fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio had in a statement issued on August 26, 2025, confirmed that Oba Oloyede is behind bars in the ‘God’s Own Country’ while noting that he was convicted of fraud.

The monarch and an accomplice, had exploited COVID-19 loan programmes under the CARES Act between April 2020 and February 2022.

Governor Ademola  Adeleke presided over the State Executive Council meeting on Friday during which critical state policies were reviewed and fresh directives were issued to ministries and agencies, the governor has consequently directed Mr Dosu Babatunde to ‘take action on the ugly development in Ipetumodu where the King was recently jailed in the United States of America’.

Recall that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters had a few days ago, noted that the state government felt it important to obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgment before  taking any action but with the governor ‘s latest directive, it has become clear that dethronement is ‘in the air’.

In the meanwhile, the race to succeed Oba Oloyede heated up last week with eligible princes doing the needful to get placed at a vantage position .

Apparently conscious of the messages contained in the axiom that ‘Ori ade kii sunta’ meaning in English ‘The Ori that wears a crown will not sleep outside’ or ‘A crowned head does not sleep in the open’, they have begun to push for Oba Oloyede’s dethronement.

There are two major ruling houses in Ipetumodu; the Dagbemokun ruling house and Aribile ruling house.

Oba Oloyede is from the Ladimokun branch of Aribile ruling house and princes from Aribile ruling house are demanding that a replacement should be sought from their side because the reigning monarch is still on the planet earth while the Dagbemokun ruling house is arguing forcibly that Aribile has already had its turn.

Oba Oloyede, who became Apetumodu in November 2019 , succeeded Oba James Adegoke, who joined his ancestors in November 2017.

With Oba Oloyede’s incarceration in faraway United States of America, the second- in- command, Oosa of Ipetumodu, Chief Durojaiye Akanbi Oyetoro, who would have taken charge and ensure that no one rocks the boat, died six months ago.

The Asalu of Ipetumodu, Chief Sunday Adedeji, is currently the most senior chief and he held a meeting with the princes last week which was not ‘fruitful’ .

The princes are demanding that the throne should be declared vacant -Team@orientactualmags.com

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