The Agbaje Legacy of Service: From Late Chief Salami Agbaje to Barr. Akeem Agbaje – Akanni Muhammed

Chief Salami Agbaje (Layeye) circa 1880–1953, was a pioneering businessman and philanthropist from Ibadan whose name became a powerful political force during the colonial era in Nigeria. Widely regarded as the first indigenous millionaire in Ibadan, he was a visionary who successfully merged traditional leadership, commerce, and emerging political structures. Although Oyo State was only created in 1976 years after his passing, Chief Agbaje’s influence in Ibadan laid the political foundation for what would later become the heart of Oyo State.

Through his thriving ventures in timber, cocoa export, transportation, and merchandise, Chief Agbaje built a formidable business empire. His wealth gave him independence and leverage to shape local governance, working closely with colonial administrators and traditional authorities.

He was known for mentoring younger Ibadan elites who later became key figures in politics and business. His consistent generosity to schools, communities, and religious institutions earned him widespread respect and admiration.

Today, the Agbaje name symbolizes wealth, honor, and education in the state’s political, social, and intellectual history.

Meet Barr. Akeem Agbaje

A Modern Torchbearer of the Agbaje Legacy

Barr. Akeem Agbaje, a descendant of the Agbaje dynasty of the famous Ayeye Compound in Ibadan, continues the legacy of leadership, service, and impact. His academic journey began in Ibadan and Benin City, culminating in a law degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1990. A standout student leader, he was President of the esteemed Prima Strata Law Society and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991 after attending Law School in Lagos.

His professional path began with national service-(NYSC) in Yobe State, after which he joined the family law firm, Agbaje, Agbaje & Co. Today, as Managing Partner, he handles complex commercial and legal matters, drawing from a rich family legacy that includes a retired Supreme Court Justice and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. With over 30 years in legal practice, Barrister. Akeem Agbaje has trained more than 5,000 persons across all 33 local government areas of Oyo State. He has noiselessly empowered market women, implemented various youth development and empowerment initiatives, and supported numerous community programs funded from his resources, not from political appointments or portfolios. He has also contributed to major national research on debt management in Africa.

He has deeply invested in solving Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges, advised and led projects in power, agriculture, and legal reforms across multiple states.

Since 1992, he has consistently provided free legal aid and educational support to the underserved. His impact extends to community service, having served as Chairman of the Ibadan branch of the Nigerian Bar Association and founder of the Ibadan Metropolitan Lions Club, where he oversaw life-changing projects for orphanages, schools, and market women. He is also a member of the Jericho Businessmen Club and the Nigerian Red Cross.

In politics, Barr. Akeem Agbaje is a principled, consistent, and loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibadan North West Local Government. A strong believer in visionary leadership, he chose the APC for its potential to move Nigeria forward. Though he contested but did not clinch the party’s governorship ticket in both 2019 and 2023, he remained committed, playing key roles such as the State Secretary of the Tinubu-Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council, which contributed significantly to the APC’s victory in the presidential election.

Today, Barr. Akeem Agbaje stands tall among the gubernatorial hopefuls in the Oyo APC. With deep grassroots connections, silent bonding with critical stakeholders (without cameras), solid track record of service, and respected family legacy behind him, he continues to build momentum, with utmost humility towards becoming the APC’s flag bearer and ULTIMATELY the next symbol of transformational leadership in the pace-setter State.

I am Akanni Muhammed
Ibadan NorthEast