A fierce legal dispute has erupted among the children of late former Oyo State governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, over the management and distribution of his vast estate, which includes dozens of properties across Nigeria and overseas.
The controversy came to light during proceedings at the Oyo State High Court, where his first daughter, Oluwatoyin Alao Aderinto, filed a suit challenging how the estate is being handled.
In the case marked I/443/2024, Aderinto is seeking judicial intervention, naming the deceased’s wife, Oluwakemi Alao-Akala, and another daughter, Olamide Alabi, as defendants and executors of the estate.
She told the court that she holds both legal and equitable interests in the properties, alleging that some assets have already been sold without her approval, while others are being considered for sale or joint venture arrangements.
Following her application, the court granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from carrying out further transactions on the estate pending the final determination of the case. The court also ordered an accelerated hearing.
In a further twist, Aderinto requested DNA tests involving herself and six others—Olamide, Adebukola, Olamipo, Olamiju, Tabitha, and Olamikunle—to establish their biological ties to the late politician. She also asked the court to approve the exhumation of her father’s remains to facilitate the tests.
The matter has been adjourned until April 16, 2026, for ruling on the application.
Adebayo Alao-Akala died on January 12, 2022, at the age of 71 in Ogbomoso, and his estate has since been at the centre of a prolonged family dispute.
Estate at the Centre of Dispute
The properties in contention form a sprawling portfolio spread across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Ghana. They include residential buildings, hotels, filling stations, farmlands, media outfits, and financial institutions.
Key assets listed in court filings include luxury homes in Ibadan, Lagos, and Abuja; multiple properties in Ogbomoso; a five-star hotel in Ghana; and international real estate in New York and Essex.
Other notable holdings include extensive farmland, several filling stations, a gas plant, a microfinance bank, and a radio station.
The case continues to attract public attention due to the sheer scale of the assets involved and the legal complexities surrounding their administration.
