Ogbubona was the Balogun of Ikija and contender in 1854 to the Alake title, which is the premier Egba royal title. In reference to his imitation of the manners of Anglican missionaries who followed Townsend to Abeokuta in 1843, he was called “Agboket’oyinbo,” meaning “A man of elegant manners like the Europeans”. He was presented with a stained-glass window from one Rev. G.H Shield, as part of the friendly gifts to Egba chiefs, accompanying Queen Victoria of England’s letter to them in 1849.
Ogbubona, on his journey to the new city of the Egba, Abeokuta, had been accosted by opponent army but he saved himself then by denying his clan. Fortunately for him, he had body marks to prove so.
In the contest for the first Alake of Egbaland in the new settlement of Abeokuta, Ogbubona had early advantage over Losi and Okukenu. He was said to have planted the trees still conspicuous today in the forecourt of Ake palace in anticipation of his installation, but his history of having denied his tribe for the preservation of his life or freedom was used against him. He lost out to Okukenu who then became the first Alake in Abeokuta.