I still remember the first time I read something about her. It was some couple of years ago. She was talking about the Lijadu Sisters, I think. I was awed by her knowledge, not just of the Lijadu sisters, but of the music of that era. The passion with which she spoke about the artistes of the 70s and the 80s fascinated me. You could tell she had profound respect for these artistes and what they represented in our music/entertainment trajectory. Though she must’ve been quite young herself when the musicians she spoke so glowingly about were making waves, but it was obvious she knew them pretty well. Everyone of them. And she totally loved them to bits. And from the passion and affection with which she spoke about them, you could tell she wanted everyone of us to love them too. Without a doubt, she succeeded.
I was intrigued by this seemingly shy but elegant looking woman. It is not everyday that you come across a lady in Naija today who is barely in her mid-forties (like she was then) and talking gleefully about artistes of the 70s and 80s. The young and restless ladies of today are not interested in any of that. For them, if it’s not any of their weed smoking, no sensible lyrics artistes, then there’s nothing to talk about. That is why this charming lady with an adorable smile got me curious about her. And then I eventually found out who she is. Her name is Bimbo Esho, daughter of one the most respected Icons in the music industry. Her father, the legendary Femi Esho, was not a music artiste, but a man highly regarded as the Oracle of Highlife music who delved into the business of protecting the legacies of our golden generation of artistes who brought us great joy back in the day. And he has made a resounding success of that venture. It was at this point I realised who she was and why she had such strong passion for indigenous traditional music. And my respect for her soared even higher.
From a distance, I have continued to follow her exploits. And I have been impressed every step of the way. Today, Bimbo is the CEO of Evergreen Musical Company. She has been running the company for quite a while now after her iconic father retired and there is no gain saying she has done a remarkable job taking the company several notches higher than she met it. The extremely hard working and intensely passionate Bimbo has helped the company break barriers, bringing to the fore her youthfulness and ability to engage her audience using various forms of social media tools. Her impeccable knowledge of all genres of music ranging from Apala to Juju, Fuji, highlife, Afro beat and even contemporary hip-hop has enabled her attract a wide spectrum of audience who literally drink from her fountain of musical knowledge. All of these, naturally, has increased patronage and traffic to the company she represents.
But the big news is that our own Amazon, one of showbiz’s most respected personalities, the walking music encyclopedia of our time has turned a year older today.
And she deserves to be celebrated. For someone who has spent a large chunk of her adult life celebrating others and bringing joy to the hearts of many who know and follow her, it is only proper that we celebrate this tenacious woman. I am particularly thankful that I have the privilege to be close to this absolutely gorgeous lady. I have seen, first hand, that she is not just a beautiful woman, she is also a beautiful human being. Anyone who has been privileged to know the humble and unassuming Bimbo Esho will attest to the fact that she is, by miles, one of the kindest and simplest persons you can possibly ever come across. But what many do not know is that beneath that facade of simplicity lies perhaps the most brilliant and street smart entrepreneur you can ever find on this side of the globe. She knows her onions. She understands her territory inside out. But she is not loud by nature. She detests bringing undue attention to herself. For someone who delights in celebrating others and consistently puts them under the spotlight, it is a puzzle how she avoids publicity like one avoids the Corona virus. But that’s how our own adorable Bimbo Esho is wired and we have grown to respect her wishes.
This is the point where I begin to directly speak to the birthday babe. We are extremely proud of you, Bimbo. We celebrate you. We salute your tenacity. We salute your work ethics. And we thank you for being an amazing, exemplary woman and an outstanding practitioner of the Arts.
As thousands of friends and well wishers all over the world celebrate your birthday today, we pray, profoundly, that you grow from strength to strength. As many young people look onto you for inspiration, may you not be lacking in the wisdom to direct them appropriately. That way, they will surely remain eternally grateful to you for letting them drink freely from your unending fountain of knowledge. We wish you many more successes in your endeavors. We wish you unprecedented prosperity beyond your expectations. Above all of these, we wish you long life, in good health and comfort. You deserve all of these and much more and this shall be your portion by the special grace of the Lord almighty. A ni wa e tio. Keep looking gorgeous for us. Keep shaking the table with your fabulous figure and fantastic personality. Happy birthday to you our own dear Amazing Amazon. God bless you for us!!