Okoume is weird. It's not very pretty, and it doesn't seem to darken appreciably over time in comparison to many other woods. So I'd have a couple of solutions...

You can strip the recess. It's not really that hard, and I used CA glue with activator when I did mine so it went together really fast (CA is too expensive and too toxic to use for an entire shell).

As was noted- sapele plywood is beautiful without stain.

Any dye will fade, and all wood will darken, so I'd pick something like TransTint Antique Maple and hope it stays harmonious until the point where it's not precious any more and I realize that once I put on my skirt and PFD I'll never see the recess anyway, and I won't see it when it's hanging from the rafters in the garage, and I won't see it when it's on top of my car.

Mike