After the death of Oba James Adegoke, the journey to the Apetumodu throne became a long, controversial battle involving promises, protests and court cases in Ipetumodu, Osun State
From Palace to Prison: Oba Oloyede’s ‘Majestic’ Glide to Gaol | By Adebayo Adeoye
Following the passing of the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adegoke, in 2017, it was a long tortuous journey for the kingmakers of the ancient town to find a replacement. For two years, the palace of the headquarters of Ife North Local Government Council of Osun State, remained unoccupied.
At the time, a prince, Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, an US-based businessman was reportedly the most popular among the long list of princes seeking to ascend the throne of their forebears. He was popular, influential, wealthy and he knows how to throw money around, what else is extra cash meant for?
Like someone desperate for the stool, he was said to have promised the town so many things, among which was a new palace. In fairness to him, the old palace had become derelict, an eyesore and unbefitting of someone from the US. He carried out the demolition after he received the crown though.
When his name was submitted by the kingmakers as the successor to the throne, a dissenting voice suddenly echoed, calling to task the selection process. The group of people went to court in objection to the selection.
The aggrieved accused the kingmakers of having turned the head of the traditional procedure upside down in selecting a new Apetumodu, alleging further that Oloyede was a product of a compromised process.
They also accused the Ooni of Ife for turning a deaf ear to an Ile-Ife High Court injunction by giving his expressive nod to the decision of the kingmakers.
Perhaps, if the kingmakers had listened to this group of people, they would have saved the town from the monumental embarrassment they are facing today.
Perchance, if they have known they were handling the ‘treasure’ of their town to an irredeemable swindler and a shark they would have thought otherwise.
Few years after his installation, Oba Oloyede travelled to his former base in the US. Of course, that was not the first time of his doing that since he ascended the throne, but what made this frightening was that the journey was unreasonably long.
The town was thrown into a bated anxiety concerning the whereabouts of the monarch. His absence became a source of serious concern, not just for his family members, but his subjects.
The call for investigation became more strident with the claims in some quarters that a Nigerian who bears the same name as the monarch was facing charges in the US for complicity in a multi-million dollar fraud. But some of his family members, as well as friends denied this until it was finally confirmed that the monarch’s major source of wealth was fraud.
He is accused of defrauding the US government to the tune of $4.2 million. He was said to have presented fake documents for his businesses and those of others in order to benefit from the US government loan support to struggling businesses in the aftermath of COVID-19.
He has since pleaded guilty and awaiting a sentence.
While the people of the ancient town wait with uncertainty about how long their king would be away in an American jail, one thing is certain. Oba Oloyede’s promise to give his people a befitting modern Palace may never happen, just as the possibility of his return to the throne is zero.
