“I Was Not Informed Of Any Wrongdoing Before My Deposition” — Oloyede Asks Court To Stop Adeleke From Filling Apetumodu Stool

The deposed Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Joseph Oloyede, has approached the Osun State High Court seeking to restrain Governor Ademola Adeleke and other state officials from appointing a successor to the traditional stool pending the determination of his suit challenging his removal.

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.

Following the conviction, the Osun State Government announced his deposition in May 2026 after receiving a Certified True Copy of the judgment of the United States court.

The state government subsequently declared the Apetumodu stool vacant and moved towards commencing the process of selecting another traditional ruler.

Oloyede is, however, challenging the action in Suit No. HIF/50/2026 before the Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife.

He is the second claimant in the action alongside Princes Oyewusi Adewusi, Isaac Adewuni and Abiodun Oyetoro, who sued for themselves and on behalf of other members of the Latimogun Royal Family of the Aribile Ruling House of Ipetumodu.

The defendants include Adeleke; the Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde; Afolabi Adedeji; the Asalu of Ipetumodu and head of the kingmakers, Adesoye Babalola; the Malefon of Ipetumodu; and Ife North Local Government.

In a motion on notice dated September 16, 2026, Oloyede asked the court for an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or representatives from taking any step to fill the Apetumodu stool or appoint another person in his place until the substantive case is determined.

The former monarch contended that the state government did not formally notify him of any alleged wrongdoing before taking steps to remove him.

His application referred to an order of deposition reportedly signed by Adeleke on May 7, 2026, and subsequently published on May 11.

“There was no time the 2nd claimant/applicant was informed by the 1st-3rd defendants of any wrongdoing before the issuance of the publication contained in the said Guardian Newspaper and the purported instrument or order of deposition,” the application stated.

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.

Proceedings in the matter were, however, stalled on Monday over the service of hearing notices on the defendants.

Only counsel to the claimants, O. Ogbewe, and counsel to the fifth defendant, Soji Oyetayo, appeared before the court.

Ogbewe told the court that the defendants had been served with the relevant court processes, while Oyetayo said he had not been served with a hearing notice.

The court was consequently asked to adjourn the matter to enable the necessary hearing notices to be properly served.

Justice Dapo Adeniji adjourned the suit until January 21, 2027, and directed that fresh hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants.

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.

The governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said a request for the state government’s reaction to the latest court action had been forwarded to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Post Title: “I Was Not Informed Of Any Wrongdoing Before My Deposition” — Oloyede Asks Court To Stop Adeleke From Filling Apetumodu Stool By Papers Nigeria.