The government of Ogun State, together with the Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo CFR, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland has formally appointed Balogun Lai Labode, PhD, Kurumi of Ijaye as the new Aare of Egbaland.
This elevation honours his outstanding contributions to community development, cultural advancement and visionary leadership in both the creative and economic sectors of the state.
The title of Aare Egba is among the most revered chieftaincy offices in Yoruba and Egba history, historically recognised as the supreme military and strategic commander of the Egba people.
Today the role serves as a symbol of courage, resilience, diplomacy and duty, rotated toward cultural guardianship, identity reinforcement and future-oriented economic stewardship.
Balogun Lai Labode, now the youngest ever to assume the title, is a distinguished business executive and investor whose career is built around innovation, economic empowerment and ecosystem development.
As CEO of CashToken Rewards Africa, he leads a socially-smart business model transforming loyalty programmes into life-changing cash rewards for consumers and growth engines for enterprises.
His commitment spans finance, enterprise and fashion: he founded the Egbaliganza (Egba Fashion Celebration) cultural-fashion initiative under his Lai Labode Heritage Foundation, and is the president of the continental platform Confederation of African Fashion (CAFA), which aims to grow Africa’s fashion economy toward a projected $500B valuation.
His selection as Aare Egba signals a new era for Egba nation: one built on heritage, youth engagement, global outlook and cultural-economic integration. Under his leadership, the vision for heritage preservation, tourism, community enterprise and global positioning of Egba culture gains renewed momentum.
Balogun Lai Labode expresses his gratitude to the Ogun State Government and Egba Traditional Council for this trust. He affirms his readiness to serve with loyalty, humility and vision. His mission is clear: to honour the legacy of the ancestors, uplift the people, and build a future in which the culture and economy of Egbaland flourish in unity and purpose.
