When he died his sister, Hangbe, became the ruler and began preparing Akaba's oldest son, Agbo Sassa, for the throne.

Oral tradition records that Akaba was the eldest born child of Houegbadja with a twin sister named Hangbe.

[1] In some versions, Akaba is the king who kills the chieftain Dan to establish the dominance of the Dahomey Kingdom over the Abomey plateau, rather than Houegbadja.

[2] Akaba's administration continued military expansion off the Abomey plateau and increasing centralization of the kingdom over the region.

[1] Because his death was quite sudden, and his heir was still young, Edna Bay contends that his twin sister Hangbe became the regent until Agaja forcibly replaced her and the oldest son of Akaba, Agbo Sassa, to take over the throne.