MC, Radio Personality Gogo Beau Discusses Achieving Success Despite the Odds Being Stacked Against Her

She’s bubbly and lively. Every time she walks into a room, she lights it up. You would think she has no care in the world. But how did this free-spirited woman grow up? How was she raised? Has life always been as easy as it seems for her? The following is a narration by Beauty Chikonye, a woman who began to live her dream at age 35.

I was born through what some people might call incest. My mother was impregnated by her sister’s husband’s brother. She used to visit her sister frequently (in Gutu, Zimbabwe) and that is how she ended up falling in love with her brother-in-law. One thing led to another and my mother ended up falling pregnant and eloped.

My father, scared of responsibility, ran away and left my mother with his parents. I was born in my paternal grandmother’s kitchen hut in the village (on 18 August 1980). My mother realized her husband was never coming back. She, together with her uncles, decided it was better for her to go back home.

There, my mother left me with her grandmother and left for Gweru in search of greener pastures. I was left to be raised by my great-grandmother who, because of her age, did not take my education seriously. Sometimes, she would travel with me during the school term, and I would miss school. But she loved me a lot.

There was no one to monitor me or give me reproach, so I became a wild and notorious child; my grades in school were very poor. My uncle noticed this and took me to Gweru where my mother was staying. I continued performing badly in school but not because I was a bad student. I was even going to school every day. I think I was just dull. Though I was doing Grade 7 at that time, my uncle suggested that I be taken back to Grade 3 for me to pull up in school work. I was very tall for my age and it felt like a humiliation to me, so I stole some money and ran back to the village to my great-grandmother.

Upon arrival, I realized things had changed. My great grandmother was now living with her first child and I could not be accommodated. I was encouraged to go to my father’s relatives; there, I was welcomed by my paternal grandmother who was happy to see me. The following day, we went and registered for Grade 7 at Mutero Primary School in Gutu and then I proceeded to Deure High School for my Form 1. That is when my father got married to another woman.

My step-mother took me in; that is when I started a new life in the capital, Harare. We lived in the low-density suburbs. While staying with them, I noted my step-mother took me in just to gain favour from my father. I started to see the realities of life as a step-child. My step-mother was abusive both emotionally and physically. It got to the extent of being asked to change the baby’s diapers during a meal.

My father did not know this because he worked throughout the day and when he came back home, he was made to believe everything was normal. His sister was quick to notice I was only happy when my step-mother was not around. My aunt had to tell my father about the abuse I was going through. He [asked] my step-mother about it, and the situation became worse.

Fast forward to 1996. After writing my Ordinary Level exams, my father and step-mom decided they had had enough of me and it was time for me to go back to the village. My father escorted me to the Mbare bus terminus where I boarded a bus back to Gutu. Before departure, I thought hard. Nothing much was going to change if I went back to the village, so I got off the bus and headed for Zvishavane. We had some distant relatives there, so I went and explained my situation to them.

Luckily, they understood, and I started living with them. By that time, I was already a wayward girl and I started drinking and mixing with the wrong company. I thank God, though, because I never indulged in drugs; otherwise I wouldn’t be here today.

Within a short space of time, I fell pregnant and as tradition requires, I was asked to go to my “husband.” He was a married man, but I lied and told my relatives that he had agreed to rent me a place to stay. Some of my friends tried convincing me to abort, but I was too scared. I started renting my own place and I met a man who took care of me and bought clothes for my baby without asking for anything in return. I hear he is even a pastor now. Another woman, Mrs Moyo, also offered to take care of my child when I was busy. She knew I was a wayward woman. I would go for days and leave my child with her.

I did my best to raise my child well and went to Kwekwe to look for my baby’s father. When I found him, we lived together for a while, but it didn’t work out. I found love with another man there; we had a child together. Unfortunately, my husband was shot dead in Botswana where he had gone to work, leaving me with the seven-month-old baby. I had to leave Kwekwe heading back to Zvishavane. I took [the baby] with me, but he was later taken by his relatives.

After that, I went back to my wild ways. Those days, there was a popular hotel called Nilton. I started mingling with some Jazz outfit members who used to play at the hotel and that is when it all started. I would give them advice on how to handle their women, how to be better men and so forth. One local businessman and his wife then discovered my talent and gave me a job to work as a club MC for a Ladies Night show.

When everything seemed to be going on well for me, I fell terribly sick. I had tuberculosis, but it was diagnosed late. I had to quit my job. Upon admission at the local hospital, many doctors thought I wouldn’t survive. I had to go through lumbar puncture and was given treatment which I adhered to well.

I then recovered but when I went back to work, my bosses turned me away saying I needed to rest a bit more. At that time, a cousin of mine got me a job at a different club. We started making posters to market my club shows and I was really doing a great job. I became so popular to the extent that people were now driving from other cities and towns just to meet me.

It is at that time that my current boss visited the club I was working at and got impressed by my work. He told me that he was going to launch a new radio station in a few months and was interested in making me a radio presenter. We started communicating over the phone. I did not even have a phone that could operate WhatsApp back then (2015).

Audition time came. I wowed all the big wigs that were there and I got the job. But I must say, I got very intimidated when we went for auditions. The people I was competing with looked and dressed way better than me. Upon getting the job, we were asked to bring our CVs. I was lost. I did not even know how to write one or what to include on it; I had failed my Ordinary Level exams. The bosses assured me they had given me the job based on my vocals not level of education.

I was happy to get the job, but life wasn’t easy. Some started advising my bosses to fire me, basing their arguments on the life I had lived in the past. Some of my workmates also looked down upon me because I did not have a degree. I spent 6 months at work without any idea how to control the decks. I would just get in studio, sit, talk and go back home until the then-station manager, Davis Mugadza, gave me an ultimatum to learn to use the deck in 3 days.

I started doing my job well and made a name for myself. My radio name is Gogo Beau and it has become a household name in Zvishavane and surrounding areas, even nationally. That same year I got the Best Presenter of the Year award. My aunt was thrilled and could not believe it. The following year, I became the brand ambassador for TelOne, which was a big move for me, and I also scooped the Best Presenter award for the second time in a row.

I started meeting face-to-face with big people like the late Oliver Mtukudzi and many businessmen, something which I had only dreamt of. Companies started hiring me for their functions. I became big and I am still growing big. Some companies cannot do their events without me; they want me to do their voice-overs and adverts. When I walk in town, people want to talk to me and take selfies with me.

Looking back, people had rejected me to the point that no one even cared about how my life was going. They stopped giving me important updates. For instance, when my great-grandmother died, no one even bothered to tell me. It got to the extent that I didn’t care how I lived or how I would die. But somehow, life just put itself in order.

I am now a born-again Christian. Yes, I got born again and baptized when I was young, but now I am a true believer of the gospel. When I fell sick, I went to this other church in Zvishavane, and because of my popularity, people started gossiping about me, telling people my personal issues. I had to stop going to church totally. One day, I started reflecting, looking at all the good things God had done for me and realized I had to worship Him. I now have a desire to worship God.

I found a new life and I have love for others. My health is now stable. My life is full of blessings and in 2018, God gave me a grandson. My daughter-in-law gave birth on 15 August 2018. I named him Jayden. I love my grandson with all my heart. I go out of my way to make sure he lives a good life. My second son now lives with me. He is in Form 1.

Though I am now living the life I dreamt of, if I could go back in time, I would change my life decisions. I messed up my life. If I had put more focus on my schoolwork, I would be living an even better life today. I never had a person to nurture me, so I have advice for the ladies and girls out there. Take your life seriously. Focus on what is important. I will tell you this from experience: no man will leave his wife for you, no matter how sweet or beautiful you think you are. You will be wasting your time with him. Also, have respect; I respect my bosses. Get to work on time, be humble and listen to elders. My former station manager once told me to never get to a point where I think I know it all. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new from others.

Lastly, be yourself and know what you want. My signature style is the Mohawk and I wear all the flashy colours on my head. From red, blue, pink, white, you name it. The only colour I haven’t tried yet is yellow.

I do not keep grudges; if you do me wrong, I tell you straight. I now do it in a good way; I used to have a foul mouth back then. I have a beautiful life. I eat traditional and healthy foods. I go to church. I am who I am now and I love myself.