Legal battle erupts over Alao-Akala’s estate as daughter seeks DNA tests, body exhumation
A legal showdown has emerged within the family of late former Oyo State Governor, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, as his eldest daughter, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has approached the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan with a request for the exhumation of his remains and DNA testing of seven individuals claiming to be his biological children.
In a motion marked I/443/2024 and filed before Justice K.B. Taiwo of Court 12, Ring Road, Alao-Aderinto is seeking court authorization for DNA tests involving herself and six others: Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju (a sitting member of the House of Representatives), Tabitha, and Olamikunle.
She further asked that the DNA tests be conducted at a court-approved medical facility, with the results submitted in a sealed envelope directly to the presiding judge for declaration in open court.
Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oladipo Olasope, Alao-Aderinto is also requesting that the late governor’s body be exhumed from his mausoleum in Ogbomoso to extract a sample necessary for the genetic analysis.
The lawsuit marks a dramatic turn in an ongoing family dispute over Alao-Akala’s considerable estate. The former governor died without a will on January 12, 2022, leaving behind an inheritance that spans prime properties in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, Ghana, the UK, and the US—including a five-star hotel in Ghana, luxury vehicles, and multiple high-value bank accounts.
Tensions reportedly escalated in October 2022 when two individuals, Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, allegedly secured Letters of Administration from the Oyo State Probate Registry without the knowledge or consent of Alao-Aderinto, who asserts her status as the governor’s first child.
In her sworn affidavit, she accuses them of misrepresenting facts to gain control of the estate, effectively excluding her and others who may also have legitimate claims.
Her legal team argues that such actions violate Nigeria’s laws on intestate succession and represent an unlawful attempt to seize the entire estate.
Alao-Aderinto maintains that her legal pursuit is driven not by personal gain but by a commitment to justice, transparency, and rightful inclusion. She insists that all legitimate heirs—be they biological children, extended family, or devoted aides—deserve to be acknowledged.
In an earlier letter dated August 2023, her lawyers warned that marginalizing the governor’s first daughter was not only unjust but risked causing deep family divisions and diminishing the legacy of a man celebrated for his grassroots leadership and inclusive governance.
