Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reacted to the ordeals of Oba Joseph Oloyede, Apetu of Ipetumodu town, who is serving a jail term in the United States of America over fraud.
Adeleke was said to have instructed the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to take action on the jailed monarch, amid calls by some of the natives of Ipetumodu for the replacement of the vacant stool.
Adeleke made the order on Friday during the State Executive Council meeting.
According to a statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor described the development as ugly, calling for urgent action on the matter.
Recall that U.S. District Judge, Christopher A. Boyko, had ordered the traditional ruler to “serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $4,408,543.38 in restitution.”
US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, in a statement on August 26, 2025, said Oloyede led a conspiracy to exploit COVID-19 emergency loan programmes created for struggling businesses.
Since the judgment, uneasy calm has pervaded the town, with the princes insisting that the state government should decide on replacing Oba Oloyede.
However, some kingmakers were said to have kicked against the demand for the replacement of the embattled monarch.
