Court Restrains Akala Widown from Selling Estate Properties

Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has restrained Chief Oluwakemi Alao-Akala, widow of late former Governor Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, from selling, disposing of, or entering any transaction on properties belonging to the deceased.

The order came in suit No 1/443/2024 filed by Oluwatoyin Alao-Aderinto, who identifies herself as the first daughter of the late politician. She accused the widow and co-executor Olamide Alabi of already selling some assets without her knowledge or consent while pushing for more deals and joint ventures.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the claimant told the court she holds both legal and equitable interest in the estate and wants urgent protection to avoid irreversible loss. The defendants were listed as executors and administrators who obtained letters of administration in 2022.

In a ruling on the motion for interlocutory injunction, the court barred the widow, her agents, servants, and anyone acting through them from further dealings on the properties. It also ordered accelerated hearing of the main suit to speed up justice.

The application relied on the High Court of Oyo State Civil Procedure Rules 2022 and the court’s inherent powers. Alao-Aderinto had argued that continued sales would damage her rights and entitlements in the estate.

The late Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, who governed Oyo State from 2007 to 2011, died on January 12, 2022. His estate includes prime properties across Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, the United Kingdom, the United States, and a five-star hotel in Ghana, along with vehicles and substantial bank holdings.

The case has drawn wide attention in Oyo because of the former governor’s stature as a major political figure. Family disputes over such high-value estates are not new in Nigeria, but this one has put the administration of the late politician’s wealth under fresh scrutiny.

During proceedings, lawyers moved an additional application seeking DNA tests among siblings linked to the dispute. The court adjourned the matter to April 16, 2026, for a ruling on that request.

With the injunction now active, all eyes are on the accelerated trial and how the court will resolve the deeper questions of ownership and family claims. Further developments are expected to shape the final distribution of the late governor’s assets.