- Battle for Legacy: Daughter Demands Exhumation of Alao Akala
- requesting that a DNA test be conducted between herself and some named individuals
- She firmly opposes what she describes as a winner takes all approach
A serious legal and familial 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 filed a suit seeking the exhumation of his remains for the purpose of conducting a DNA test.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that in what many have described as a bold and emotional step, Oluwatoyin is asking the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan to grant an order permitting the retrieval of her father’s body from the mausoleum in his Ogbomoso country home.
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The request is central to her demand for clarity and justice in the growing controversy over the paternity of seven individuals who have laid claim to being biological children of the late governor.
Filed under Suit No. I/443/2024 before Justice Taiwo of Court 12, the application was submitted through her legal counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Oladipo Olasope.
In the motion, Oluwatoyin is also requesting that a DNA test be conducted between herself and the named individuals Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju, Tabitha, and Olamikunle at a court accredited laboratory, with results to be delivered in a sealed envelope and made public during court proceedings.
The legal request for exhumation has added a new dimension to the long simmering dispute over the vast estate left behind by Alao Akala, who died intestate on January 12, 2022. His estate reportedly includes real estate across Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, as well as assets in the United Kingdom, United States, and Ghana, luxury vehicles, foreign and local bank accounts, and a five star hotel.
The current action follows accusations by Oluwatoyin that Kemi Alao Akala and Olamide Alabi who allegedly secured Letters of Administration over the estate did so without her knowledge or consent, thereby sidelining her as the late governor’s eldest child.
In her affidavit and supporting documents, Oluwatoyin argues that this exclusion was unlawful and unjust, stating that the only path to fairness is through scientific verification of biological ties.
Oluwatoyin maintains that her interest is rooted in ensuring that all rightful beneficiaries are acknowledged. This includes nuclear family members, extended relatives, and longtime aides of the late governor. She firmly opposes what she describes as a winner takes all approach allegedly adopted by the current administrators of the estate.
Her legal team contends that the recognition of only seven individuals as heirs, despite lingering questions surrounding paternity, calls for a thorough scientific and legal resolution to establish the truth and uphold justice.
“This is an inheritance case. It is only right to determine who is truly entitled to the estate,” said Olasope SAN.
In an earlier letter dated August 2023 and made public,
Olasope warned that the exclusion of Oluwatoyin violated not only legal principles but also moral standards.
He cautioned that any further delay in resolving the issue could widen the rift within the family and risk diminishing the legacy of the late governor.
The case is presently before the court, and a ruling is expected in due course.
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