Alao-Akala’s Daughter Drags Widow To Court Over Late Ex-Governor’s Estate

By Adesina Soyooye

Former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao Akala must be turning in his grave over the mess in his family. The late Governor’s family is currently washing its dirty linen in the market square in a fight over the Estate he left behind. The family is in Court.

His daughter, Toyin Alao-Aderinto has dragged her step mother and the late Governor’s widow, Kemi Alao-Akala, to an Oyo State High Court over the Estate he left behind.

So, the High Court in Ibadan has summoned the late former Governor wife oto appear before it within 30 days.

In a writ of summons  Kemi and her co-defendant were asked to respond to a suit (number 1/443/2023) filed by Alao-Aderinto over a Letter of Administration.

She alleged illegal acquisition of the Letter of Administration as it concerns the estate of her late Alao-Akala. She said the widow obtained it without her consent.

Kemi, who was the First Lady of Oyo State when her husband was Governor, was summoned through an order issued by the Court, when it granted an ex-parte motion for substituted service which was  brought by Dipo Olasope, SAN, a former Attorney General of Lagos State, representing Alao-Aderinto.

In the suit, Mrs Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi are accused of mismanaging the estate of the late former Governor.

The writ of summons stated that:  “You are hereby commanded that within 30 days after the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of this service, you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in action at the instance of the claimant.”

The case which is  marked I/443/2024, is tackling the actions taken by Mrs Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, both of whom are accused of allegedly, unlawfully  obtaining a letter of administration from the state High Court on October 6, 2022.

In addition, both are  accused of mismanaging the late former Governor’s assets. The main grouse being that Alao-Aderinto was excluded in the distribution of the Estate.

For the records, Alao-Aderinto, is the first daughter of the late former Governor.

In the suit, she is seeking a court declaration that the letter of administration obtained by Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi is illegal, null, and void. She also wants the Court to issue a restraining order on the defendants from selling and/or disposing any assets in her late father’s estate.

A letter dated August 16, 2023, from Dipo Olasope, SAN, which was addressed to Kemi Alao-Akala and Olamide Alabi, insisted that the letter of administration was “obtained illegally, excluding Toyin, who by law should be one of the administrators unless she declines to act.”

The letter further indicated, as published that “Toyin has been sidelined in the administration of the estate, while Kemi and Olamide, along with two other siblings, including Olamiju Alao-Akala, a member of the House of Representatives member, are working together to manage the estate, disenfranchising other legitimate children of Adebayo Alao-Akala.”

They were also accused of processing the letter of administration without Alao-Aderinto’s consent as well as dealing with the deceased’s assets illegally.

They were issued a 21-day notice to amend the letter of administration to include Alao-Aderinto. This was followed by another seven-day notice (as required by law) before the claimant sought legal redress in court.

As the first biological daughter of Adebayo Alao-Akala, Alao-Aderinto “asserts her entitlement to inherit an equal share (if not more) of her father’s estate, who died intestate on January 12, 2022. The claimant seeks a declaration that the defendants have no right to deny her legitimate rights and interests in the estate, and that the letter of administration granted to them was fraudulently and illegally obtained, making it null and void.”

Alao-Akala was the Governor of Oyo State from 2007-2011.  He died on January 12, 2022 at the age 71 years.