Festivals

Adeleke Dethrones Osun Monarch Over Alleged US Fraud Case

Published

5 months ago

May 15, 2026

Governor Ademola Adeleke has officially dethroned Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, following his COVID-19 fraud conviction and imprisonment in the US

The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, officially announced the dethronement of the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede.

Also read: Osun Adire Festival 2025 Empowers Artisans, Boosts Economy

The executive decision follows the monarch’s conviction and subsequent imprisonment in the United States of America for his involvement in a multi-million dollar wire fraud and tax evasion scheme.

This administrative action comes after Oba Joseph Oloyede was sentenced by Judge Christopher Boyko of the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio to four years and eight months in federal prison.

The court also ordered the 63-year-old traditional ruler to pay $4.4 million in restitution and forfeit his high-value property in Medina, Ohio, after he pleaded guilty to siphoning pandemic relief funds intended for struggling businesses.

The dethronement marks a decisive end to a period of administrative uncertainty regarding the stool of Ipetumodu.

While some community members and political observers had expressed concern over a perceived delay in the government’s response, the eventual removal of the monarch aligns with the state’s efforts to uphold the integrity of traditional institutions.

During the legal proceedings in the United States, it was established that Oba Joseph Oloyede, a chartered accountant and former adjunct professor, conspired to submit fraudulent loan applications under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The siphoned funds, totaling over $4.2 million, were intended to provide emergency stimulus to legitimate enterprises during the global health crisis.

The Osun State Government cited the gravity of the criminal conviction and the subsequent loss of moral authority as the primary reasons for declaring the throne vacant.

Local reports indicate that the decision was received with a mixture of relief and somber reflection within the Ipetumodu community, where many had called for the preservation of the “Omoluabi” ethos.

In the wake of this development, prominent social critics have called for a consistent application of justice across all traditional stools in the state.

The removal of Oba Joseph Oloyede has set a significant precedent for how the state executive handles cases of criminal misconduct involving naturalized citizens and traditional titleholders operating across international borders.

As the community prepares for the process of selecting a successor, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs is expected to provide a formal framework for the transition.

Also read: Osun Adire Festival 2025 Empowers Artisans, Boosts Economy

The vacancy on the throne of the Apetu of Ipetumodu signals a new chapter for the ancient town as it seeks to move past the international legal scandal.

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Culture

OLOJO….Ile Ife’s September Gift To Culture

Published

5 days ago

October 5, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Halima Adaba,

It was a featubal if the people. It was for the anciebt town of Ile Ife, which the Yoruba race refards as the Source.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

And ut was a festivsl for the King, Arole Oduduwa, Oonirisa, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

And so between September 24 and 28th 2026, the annual featuval dazzjed in all its white glory.

Tge Monarch paid the traditional ancestral homage and offered propitiation as part of the sacred rites of the Olojo Festival.
It was a powerful expression of Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and enduring tradition.

Call it a collection of beautiful moments, faces, colours and cultural expressions.

Every frame tells a story.

Every face carries the energy.

Every moment keeps the heritage alive.

Undoubtedly one of the most sacred cultural celebrations in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It marked a day associated with creation, thanksgiving, ancestral heritage, and the sacred appearance of the Ooni of Ife wearing the revered Aàrẹ crown.

There were also the devotees of the famed god of thunder – Sàngó who were hardly conspicuous at the festival.

Many other traditional groups came out with candor, showing a powerful expression of Yoruba cultural identity, spiritual devotion, and respect for the ancient traditions of Ilé-Ifẹ̀.

Devotees of Sàngó bekieved the ‘appearance’ of the god of thunder on Seotember 26th could be understood as a symbolic meeting of ancestral heritage, spiritual devotion, and the celebration of creation.

It was a moment when the sounds of drums, chants, and traditional praise poetry brought the history of the Yoruba people to life.

Although Olojo is closely associated with Ogun, the god of iron, and the sacred traditions of Ile-Ife, the presence of Sàngó devotees reflected the rich diversity of Yoruba spiritual heritage.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

As a participant enthused at the festival, “To witness Sàngó Olúkòso emerge on Olojo Festival day is to witness a living expression of history, identity, and ancestral pride.”