Tension is rising in Ipetumodu, a town in Osun State, as members of the royal family clash over the future of the Apetumodu stool following the conviction of Oba Joseph Oloyede, the 27th traditional ruler of the town.
Oba Oloyede was recently sentenced in the United States to more than four years in prison over COVID-19 loan fraud. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the monarch was also ordered to pay over $4.4 million in restitution and forfeit properties linked to the crime. His conviction was confirmed on August 26, 2025.
Since the ruling, Ipetumodu has been thrown into uncertainty, with a fierce power struggle brewing between the two royal families—the Aribile and Fagbemokun ruling houses—who traditionally alternate the throne.
During a meeting of princes held in the town on Tuesday, Prince Olaboye Ayoola of the Aribile Ruling House demanded that the throne be declared vacant. He called on Chief Sunday Adedeji, the most senior kingmaker in the town, to officially notify Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Osun State Government to begin the process of selecting a new monarch.
However, Chief Adedeji refused the request, saying he would not be pressured into making such a decision.
“Peace has to reign first,” he told journalists briefly after the tense meeting, before walking away without further comment.
His response led to a heated argument among the gathered princes, many of whom were sharply divided along family lines. The meeting ended abruptly without any resolution.
The Aribile Ruling House, to which Oba Oloyede belongs, insists that the stool should not be declared vacant until the monarch completes his jail term. They argue that there is no legal pronouncement from the Osun State Government removing the king from the throne.
On the other hand, the Fagbemokun family is calling for an immediate transition, claiming that traditional customs support moving on from a monarch who is no longer capable of ruling.
The Osun State Government, through its Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, has responded cautiously. Officials say they are reviewing a Certified True Copy of the U.S. court judgment before making any decisions.
Meanwhile, residents of Ipetumodu have expressed concern over the growing tension and are urging the state government to intervene quickly to prevent a full-blown crisis.
