“Who Are the Real Heirs?- Late Gov Alao-Akala’s Daughter Calls for DNA Tests, Body Exhumation”
A legal battle has erupted 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 seeking a DNA test to determine the true paternity of seven individuals claiming to be the biological children of the deceased.
In a motion filed before Justice Taiwo of Court 12, with suit number I/443/2024, Oluwatoyin, through her counsel Oladipo Olasope, SAN, is asking the court to compel DNA testing for herself and the following individuals: Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju (a serving member of the House of Representatives), Tabitha, and Olamikunle.
She further seeks an order for the exhumation of her late father’s remains from the mausoleum at his Ogbomoso country home to enable the conduct of the paternity test at a court-accredited laboratory. She also requests that the test results be submitted in a sealed envelope to the presiding judge and read in open court.
This fresh application marks a significant escalation in what has become a prolonged and contentious dispute over the late governor’s vast estate, which includes multiple properties in Nigeria and abroad, a luxury hotel in Ghana, vehicles, and bank accounts containing funds in naira, dollars, and pounds sterling.
The conflict became public in October 2022 when Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, believed to be one of the deceased’s daughters, obtained a Letter of Administration from the Oyo State Probate Registry—allegedly without the knowledge or consent of Oluwatoyin. She described this as a deliberate and unlawful exclusion, which violates the laws governing intestate succession in Nigeria.
In her supporting affidavit, Oluwatoyin accuses the administrators of manipulating facts and attempting to take exclusive control of the estate while disregarding other potential heirs, including family members and loyal aides who served the late governor faithfully.
She insists that the list of seven named beneficiaries lacks consensus on their biological links to the deceased, and therefore calls for scientific verification through DNA testing. Her position is rooted in the belief that justice, equity, and inclusiveness must prevail over what she describes as a “winner-takes-all” approach.
It will be recalled that in August 2023, Oluwatoyin’s counsel issued a public letter warning that her exclusion from the estate violated not just legal rights but also moral expectations. The letter cautioned that failure to resolve the dispute could further polarise the family and tarnish Alao-Akala’s political legacy.
