The deposed Apetumodu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Joseph Oloyede, has sued Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and different state officers, looking for to cease the federal government from appointing a successor to the normal stool.
Mr Oloyede, who holds each US and Nigerian citizenship, was convicted and sentenced in August 2025 to 56 months (4 years and eight months) in jail in the US over a $4.2 million COVID-19 aid fund fraud.
Following his conviction, Mr Adeleke removed the monarch after the Osun State authorities obtained the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement of the US court docket in May.
The state authorities subsequently declared the Apetumodu stool vacant and stated it will begin the method of appointing a brand new monarch.
However, Mr Oloyede is difficult his elimination as the normal ruler of Ipetumodu.
Punch reported that in a suit filed earlier than the Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife, the monarch requested the court docket to restrain Mr Adeleke and different defendants from taking steps to fill the stool pending the dedication of the substantive suit.
The software types half of suit numbered HIF/50/2026, in which Mr Oloyede is listed because the second claimant alongside three different members of the Latimogun Royal Family of the Aribile Ruling House of Ipetumodu.
Other claimants are Oyewusi Adewusi, Isaac Adewuni and Abiodun Oyetoro, all of whom are princes and joined the suit on behalf of different members of the household.
Those sued as defendants embrace Mr Adeleke. The relaxation are the 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.
Why the monarch went to court docket
In the applying dated 16 September 2026, Mr Oloyede requested the court docket to concern an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their brokers and representatives from filling the stool or appointing one other individual in his place till the substantive suit is decided.
He argued that the state authorities didn’t formally notify him of any alleged wrongdoing earlier than taking steps to take away him.
The movement referred to a 7 May deposition order reportedly signed by Mr Adeleke, which the claimant stated was printed in The Guardian newspaper on 11 May.
Mr Oloyede argued that he was not knowledgeable by the governor or the related state officers of any infraction earlier than the purported elimination.
The movement partly reads: “There was no time the 2nd claimant/applicant (Mr Oloyede) 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 software seeks to protect the stool whereas the court docket considers the substantive dispute.
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However, the court docket listening to on Monday was stalled following a dispute over the service of listening to notices on the events.
Only the claimants’ counsel, O. Ogbewe, and the fifth defendant’s lawyer Soji Oyetayo, appeared in court docket.
Mr Ogbewe advised the court docket that the defendants had been served with the related court docket processes.
He urged the court docket to adjourn the matter to permit the claimants to serve all of the defendants.
In his ruling, Dapo Adeniji, the presiding choose adjourned the case to 21 January 2027 and directed that recent listening to notices be issued and served on the defendants.
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the Osun State Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, stated he had forwarded the publication’s request for feedback to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and promised to share the response with the reporter.
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