The family crisis surrounding the estate of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, has taken a dramatic new turn as his first daughter, Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has approached the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, requesting a DNA test on seven individuals claiming to be biological children of the deceased.
In a motion filed before Justice Taiwo of Court 12 of the Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, under Motion Number I/443/2024, Alao-Aderinto, through her counsel, Oladipo Olasope, SAN, is asking the court to order DNA testing for herself and the following individuals: Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju, Tabitha, and Olamikunle.
The application requests that the paternity tests be conducted at a court-approved, accredited laboratory to determine their biological relationship with the late governor.
As part of the motion, she is also asking the court to order the exhumation of her father’s remains from the mausoleum at his Ogbomoso country home, where he was buried, in order to obtain DNA samples.
Alao-Aderinto further asked the court to direct that the DNA results be filed in a sealed envelope and submitted directly to the presiding judge, to be pronounced in open court.
This new development adds more drama to an ongoing family dispute over the large estate left behind by the former governor, who died without a will on January 12, 2022.
Tensions had been building in the family since his burial, but the conflict became public in October 2022 when Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, said to be one of his daughters, got legal permission to manage the estate.
The late governor’s first daughter is challenging the legitimacy of that Letter of Administration, arguing that it was secured without the knowledge or consent of other potential beneficiaries, and is seeking clarity on who legally qualifies as Alao-Akala’s offspring.
Close family sources indicate that the dispute is rooted in inheritance rights, property sharing, and control over the late politician’s estate, which includes real estate, investments, businesses, and political goodwill built over several decades.
The court is expected to hear the motion in the coming weeks, with many observers watching closely, as the outcome may set a legal precedent in high-profile inheritance disputes in Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, no official response had been received from the other named individuals in the suit.
However, the unfolding drama continues to cast a shadow over the public legacy of one of Oyo State’s most influential political figures.
