The family of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, is currently embroiled in a heated legal battle as his first daughter, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has filed a suit at the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
She is requesting a DNA test to determine the true parentage of seven individuals claiming to be biological children of the deceased politician.
As part of her legal action, Mrs. Alao-Aderinto is also seeking the court’s approval to exhume her father’s remains, which are buried in a mausoleum at his Ogbomoso country home. The exhumation, she says, is necessary to obtain DNA samples for the paternity tests.
In the motion, numbered I/443/2024 and filed before Justice Taiwo of Court 12, Ring Road, Ibadan, her lawyer, Oladipo Olasope (SAN), argued that the DNA tests should be conducted at an accredited and court-approved laboratory. Those to be tested include Oluwatoyin herself, along with Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju (a serving member of the House of Representatives), Tabitha, and Olamikunle.
She also asked that the results be presented in a sealed envelope to the presiding judge, who would then publicly announce the outcome during court proceedings.
This latest development marks a significant turn in an already messy inheritance dispute, which became public in October 2022. The disagreement arose after Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi obtained Letters of Administration for the late governor’s estate without informing Oluwatoyin or seeking her consent.
Oluwatoyin contends that the act was a deliberate and unlawful move to sideline her and other rightful heirs, in clear violation of Nigeria’s laws on intestate succession. In her supporting affidavit, she accused the duo of manipulating facts to claim exclusive control of the estate, despite the existence of other biological children.
The estate left behind by the former governor is said to be vast, comprising properties in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, the UK, the US, and Ghana — including a five-star hotel, luxury vehicles, and multiple bank accounts containing substantial sums in naira, dollars, and pounds sterling.
Oluwatoyin insists her pursuit is not driven by personal gain, but by the need to ensure justice and equity. She believes all eligible family members and long-serving aides of the late governor deserve fair recognition, not a situation where a few individuals dominate the estate’s administration.
She also questioned the legitimacy of listing only seven heirs, pointing out that there is no verified consensus on the paternity of those named. Her lawyer had earlier cautioned, in a public letter dated August 2023, that such exclusion of the governor’s first daughter not only breaches legal rights but also disrespects family values. He warned that if left unresolved, the conflict could permanently damage the unity of the Alao-Akala family and tarnish the political legacy of the late statesman.
Mrs. Alao-Aderinto is now asking the court to resolve the issue scientifically, through DNA verification, to bring clarity, fairness, and closure to the growing family feud.