Seeks DNA test on children
By Alade Adisa
The dispute over how to share the vast estate left behind by former Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, has escalated, as one of his daughters, Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, is seeking the approval of the court to get the corpse of the deceased exhumed and a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test conducted on seven persons claiming to be the deceased’s children.
She has therefore filed an application to that effect before an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan.
The court is presided over by Justice Taiwo.
In the case marked I/443/2024, Mrs Alao-Aderinto, through her counsel, Oladipo Olasope, is praying the court to direct that the DNA tests be carried out on herself, Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju, a serving member of the House of Representatives, Tabitha and Olamikunle, as listed in the motion on notice filed before the court.
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She wants the test to be conducted at a court approved, accredited laboratory to determine their true biological relationship with the late governor.
As part of the application, Mrs Alao-Aderinto is also seeking an order of court, directing the exhumation of Otunba Alao-Akala’s remains from the mausoleum built in his Ogbomoso country home for the purpose of carrying out the paternity test.
The results of the tests, she pleaded, should be filed under a sealed envelope and delivered directly to the presiding judge for pronouncement in open court.
The fresh application brought before the court is a new twist in what has become a messy and prolonged family feud over the vast estate of the late politician, who died intestate on January 12, 2022.
The crisis, which has been brewing silently since his burial, became public in October 2022 when one 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 without the knowledge or consent of Mrs Alao-Aderinto, the first child.
This singular act, she contends, is a deliberate and unlawful exclusion that contravenes applicable laws guiding intestate succession in Nigeria.
In her affidavit and accompanying exhibit filed in support of her motion, she accused the duo of manipulating facts to claim sole control over the estate, despite the presence of other biological children and heirs.
The estate in question is said to be massive, including several properties in Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
There is also a five star hotel in Ghana, vehicles and multiple bank accounts containing hundreds of millions of naira, dollars and pounds sterling.
Mrs Alao-Aderinto’s position on her deceased father’s estate stems from her strong resolve at ensuring that every individual, including nuclear and extended family members, aides of the former governor, who served him meritoriously without blemish and yet to identified children among many others are catered for, as against the winner takes it all approach adopted by the duo of the defendants.
The said administrators listed only seven individuals as legal heirs, but Mrs Alao-Aderinto position, as articulated by her counsel, is that there is no consensus on the paternity of these persons and that the inclusion of some and exclusion of others in the administration of the deceased’s estate raises troubling questions of authenticity and equity.
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It is on this basis she seeks judicial intervention through scientific means.
It will be recalled that in an August 2023 letter made public, counsel to Mrs Alao-Aderinto, Olasope, warned that the exclusion of the claimant who is the first daughter of the late Alao-Akala, violated both moral norms and legal rights, stressing that unless resolved, the dispute could further polarise the family and damage the late governor’s political legacy.
