Dethroned Apetumodu Takes Adeleke to Court, Seeks to Stop Appointment of Successor

The dethroned Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has approached a state High Court, seeking to stop Governor Ademola Adeleke from filling the vacant traditional stool.

Oloyede, who was convicted in the United States over fraud-related offences, is the second claimant in suit number HIF/50/2026, filed before an Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife. He is asking the court to restrain Adeleke and other government officials from appointing another person as Apetumodu pending the determination of the substantive case.

In a motion on notice dated September 16, 2026, Oloyede alleged that the governor and other relevant officials did not formally notify him of any wrongdoing before taking steps to remove him from office. He argued that his deposition was carried out without giving him an opportunity to respond to the allegations against him.

The motion referred to a May 11, 2026 report in The Guardian, which stated that Oloyede had been deposed through an instrument purportedly signed by Adeleke on May 7, 2026. He is asking the court to restrain the defendants from taking further steps to fill the stool until the case is heard and determined.

Other claimants in the suit are Princes Oyewusi Adewusi, Isaac Adewuni and Abiodun Oyetoro, who are representing themselves and 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, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Afolabi Adedeji, the Asalu of Ipetumodu and head of the kingmakers, Chief Adesoye Babalola, the Malefon of Ipetumodu and Ife North Local Government.

The hearing was stalled on Monday after the court was informed that hearing notices had not been served on all the parties. Only counsel to the claimants, O. Ogbewe, and Soji Oyetayo, who represented the fifth defendant, Chief Adesoye Babalola, appeared before the court.

Ogbewe told the court that the claimants had served the defendants with the relevant processes. However, Oyetayo said he had not received a hearing notice and asked the court to adjourn the matter to allow the claimants to serve all the parties.

Justice Dapo Adeniji subsequently adjourned the case to January 21, 2027, and ordered that fresh hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants.

The legal action follows the earlier announcement that Adeleke had approved Oloyede’s deposition as Apetumodu of Ipetumodu following his conviction in the United States on tax fraud and money laundering charges. The latest court action seeks to prevent the appointment of a successor while the dispute is pending.