Triumphs of Bimbola Ashiru at 52
-Why everyone loves the Ogun Commissioner
By Lanre Alfred
This is simply a rare peep into Otunba Bimbola Ashiru’s world; and tempting as it is to embark on a more extensive and revealing voyage into the fathomless folds of his private reality and unusual humanity, it is a discourse best saved till later. Perhaps this cursory sortie into his confidential space will enhance better understanding of the man whose sterling manhood and citizenship of humanity is widely acknowledged by family, friends and even mere acquaintances.
If his dreams last, Ashiru will turn the age to gold. He will challenge resolve and stretch the boundaries of motive, till he chances on glory, at the crossroads where wildest fantasies mesh with reality. From afar, Bimbola cuts the picture of a man that seems too tightly packed up inside. Some would say he is chock-full of ideas and flights of imagination that are too densely cast to be undone.
Unfastening Ashiru thus presents a tasking exercise. It’s an onerous task to unbolt the hub of who he is and what he represents; notwithstanding, friends, family and business associates may seek contentment from the fact that a man like Bimbola symbolises the universe’s rarest gift to mankind. This galactic gesture is borne from the universe’s belief in man’s unusual capacity to rebel against the conventional and stun the odds while manifesting as something more than a curse or blight to humanity and the future.
The party had all the trappings of glitz and opulence. Indeed, that was how Bimbo Ashiru, the cerebral Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun state, intended his 52nd birthday celebration to be. Bimbola turned 52 last Saturday, Boxing Day and the party held at his Magodo residence was just a fitting celebration of that milestone.
The party drew an A-list guests many of whom are top players in either business or politics. With an array of choice wine and food dispensed by liveried stewards, guests were pampered and left completely sated. Bimbo played the perfect host; and so did his wife, Kemi whose warm and comforting smile seemed etched on her face throughout the birthday party.
The music was good and feet thumping too. Many danced and held hands while many simply swayed and swigged from their seats. Taking charge of the ebb and flow of the event, Bimbola, a very humble man, ensured that everybody had a rollicking time.
The ecstasy of the event and innumerable treats made available to every guest at the celebrant’s behest tinged the atmosphere with a euphoric hue of sort; it all felt surreal. And not a few guests could attest to that. The ambience of the party signified class, privileged circumstances and the enviable good taste of the celebrant. Kemi was as usual, in her element as she radiated faultless beauty and delight that has kept her husband persistently head over heels in love with her through the years.
There are lessons to be learnt from the life of Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, timeless anecdotes to be precise. An encounter with Otunba Ashiru would reveal a man of exceptional intellect, profound passion for his calling; and a life that thrives on hard work. Bimbola is a man’s man. Besides the fact that he is an alpha male with strings of successes to his credit, Ashiru’s exploits resound as inspiration to generations of Nigerian youths.
Otunba Ashiru was born in Ijebu Ode to the illustrious Ashiru family. His father was a distinguished Ijebu statesman, Late Pa Simeon Adeyemi Ashiru. His mother Omo’ba Moradeun Ashiru is from the Fidipote royal family of Ijebu Ode and the ruling house of Owu-Ijebu.
Ashiru presents an enigma, the more you try to understand him, the more you get lost. Beneath the thin veneer of prestige and enterprise that defines him, he is unarguably, a normal guy with a normal house and an open doorway. He does not fancy ostentatious display of wealth and his professional and personal life validates the parable of a personal creation myth writ large.
Taken by his depth of character, professionalism and passion for excellence, Governor Ibikunle Amosun appointed him for the second time to his cabinet to serve as the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun State.
Ashiru has since swung into action traversing from one end of the state to the other bringing the state to international prominence by making it a hub of investments and entrepreneurial opportunities.
A man of incredible verve and panache, Ashiru approaches his work with uncompromising fervor, he exudes a gentility that tames brawn and projects such insight that has seen him cover milestones in his corporate enterprise – the end result of which has brought him fame and fortune.
