A legal controversy has emerged within the family of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, as his first daughter, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has approached the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan. She is seeking a court order to conduct Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) tests on seven individuals claiming to be the biological children of the deceased.
As part of the request, Alao-Aderinto is also asking the court for permission to exhume the late governor’s remains to facilitate the DNA testing.
The suit, filed before Justice Taiwo at Court 12 of the State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, under Motion Number I/443/2024, was submitted through her legal representative, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oladipo Olasope. The motion requests DNA testing for herself and six others: Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju (a current member of the House of Representatives), Tabitha, and Olamikunle. The purpose of the test is to establish a definitive biological link between them and the late Alao-Akala.
She further requested that the tests be conducted at a court-approved and certified laboratory, and that the results be submitted in a sealed envelope directly to the presiding judge for formal pronouncement in open court.
This new legal action adds another layer to an already contentious dispute surrounding the estate of the former governor, who passed away without a will on January 12, 2022. Tensions reportedly began escalating publicly in October 2022 when Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, believed to be one of Alao-Akala’s daughters, secured a Letter of Administration from the Oyo State Probate Registry without the knowledge or consent of Oluwatoyin, the late governor’s first child.
Alao-Aderinto argues that this action amounted to an unlawful and deliberate exclusion, in violation of Nigeria’s laws governing intestate succession. In documents filed with the court, she accused the pair of misrepresenting facts to gain exclusive control over the estate, ignoring the rights of other biological heirs.
The estate in dispute is said to be extensive, comprising numerous properties in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It also includes a five-star hotel in Ghana, various vehicles, and bank accounts holding large sums in naira, dollars, and pounds sterling.
According to Alao-Aderinto, her pursuit is driven by a commitment to ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries — including members of the extended family, loyal aides, and any unidentified biological children — receive equitable consideration, as opposed to the alleged exclusionary practices of the current estate administrators.
The seven individuals listed as heirs by the current administrators, she contends, have not had their paternity conclusively established. Her legal team maintains that a DNA test is essential to verify these claims and ensure fairness in the estate’s administration.
In a public letter dated August 2023, her lawyer, Oladipo Olasope SAN, emphasized that excluding Alao-Aderinto — the governor’s first daughter — not only breached legal statutes but also contravened moral expectations. He warned that failing to resolve the dispute could deepen divisions within the family and tarnish the late politician’s legacy.
