‘Order DNA Test On Seven Children of the deceased,’ details of the suit before Justice Taiwo as bickering over property degenerates
The family of the late former Oyo State governor, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, has plunged deeper into crisis as his first daughter, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, has approached an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, seeking an order for a DNA test on seven individuals claiming to be the biological children of the deceased. She is also requesting the exhumation of the late governor’s body to facilitate the tests.
In the suit filed before Justice Taiwo of Court 12, Ring Road, Ibadan, with Motion Number 1/443/2024, Oluwatoyin, through her counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Oladipo Olasope, is asking the court to order DNA testing on herself and the following individuals: Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju (a serving member of the House of Representatives), Tabitha, and Olamikunle. The test is to be conducted at a court-approved, accredited laboratory to establish their true biological relationship with the late governor.
As part of her request, Oluwatoyin is also seeking a court order for the exhumation of her father’s remains from the mausoleum in his Ogbomoso country home for the purpose of conducting the paternity test
She further asked that the test results be submitted in a sealed envelope and delivered directly to the presiding judge for pronouncement in open court.
This latest application marks a dramatic turn in the ongoing and bitter family feud over the vast estate of the late politician, who died without a will on January 12, 2022.
The dispute, which had been brewing quietly since his burial, became public in October 2022 when Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, believed to be one of his daughters, obtained a Letter of Administration from the Oyo State Probate Registry without the knowledge or consent of Oluwatoyin, the first child.
The estate in dispute is reportedly vast, encompassing numerous properties in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as a five-star hotel in Ghana, a fleet of vehicles, and multiple bank accounts holding hundreds of millions in naira, dollars, and pounds sterling.
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Oluwatoyin’s stance on her late father’s estate is driven by a firm commitment to ensuring that all rightful individuals—ranging from nuclear and extended family members to loyal aides of the former governor and potentially undiscovered children—are fairly considered. This stands in contrast to the approach adopted by the defendants, who she accuses of pursuing a “winner takes all” strategy.
According to her counsel, Oluwatoyin challenges the listing of only seven individuals as legal heirs by the current estate administrators. She argues that there is no established consensus regarding their paternity, and that the selective inclusion and exclusion of potential beneficiaries casts serious doubt on the fairness and legitimacy of the process. Consequently, she is seeking judicial intervention through scientific verification.
It will be recalled that in a publicly released letter dated August 2023, Oluwatoyin’s counsel, Oladipo Olasope SAN, warned that excluding his client—the first daughter of the late Alao-Akala—not only breaches moral standards but also violates her legal rights. He cautioned that without resolution, the conflict could deepen divisions within the family and tarnish the political legacy of the former governor.
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