A major legal drama has erupted in the family of late former Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, as his first daughter, Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has filed a suit at the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, requesting a DNA test on seven individuals claiming to be the biological children of the deceased.
Newsonspot gathered that in her suit (I/443/2024) filed before Justice Taiwo of Court 12, Alao-Aderinto also seeks an order to exhume her father’s remains from his mausoleum in Ogbomoso for the purpose of conducting the test at a court-accredited laboratory.
The individuals listed for the test include:
Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala (current House of Reps member), Olamide Alabi, Adebukola, Olamipo, Tabitha, Olamikunle, Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto (herself).
Inheritance Feud Turns Legal
The lawsuit adds a fresh twist to a long-running and messy family feud over the vast estate left behind by the late governor, who died intestate on January 12, 2022. Although the rift had been brewing, tensions exploded in October 2022 when Kemi Alao-Akala (widow) and Olamide Alabi obtained a Letter of Administration from the Oyo State Probate Registry – allegedly without consulting or informing Oluwatoyin, the deceased’s first child.
In a previous letter made public in August 2023, Alao-Aderinto’s lawyer, Oladipo Olasope, SAN, warned that excluding the first daughter from the estate violated her legal and moral rights. He cautioned that the situation could severely damage the family’s unity and the late governor’s political legacy.
Why DNA? A Fight for Fairness
Oluwatoyin now demands a scientific determination of biological parentage, arguing that some of those listed as heirs may not be true biological children of her father. She contends that this ambiguity raises serious concerns about fairness and legitimacy in the distribution of the estate.
According to her affidavit, the current estate administrators have tried to monopolize control of the estate, ignoring other heirs and long-serving aides of the former governor. She insists the estate must be shared in a way that caters to all legitimate beneficiaries, not just a select few.
The Massive Alao-Akala Estate
The disputed estate includes:
Properties in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, the UK, and the USA
A five-star hotel in Ghana
Multiple vehicles
Bank accounts in naira, dollars, and pounds sterling, reportedly containing hundreds of millions.
Alao-Aderinto is also requesting that the DNA test results be submitted in a sealed envelope directly to the presiding judge, for an official pronouncement in open court.
This high-profile case may very well set a legal precedent for paternity and estate disputes involving prominent Nigerian families.
