​ So during the summer break I decided to intern at one of the most prestigious Business Law firms in Africa, little did I know I was going to meet a family, a family of young, intelligent and smart women, one of which is my guest today.  She’s full of so much energy. She’s  smart, articulate and she’s just herself. I remember our first day on the job, when we were ordering for lunch, she goes like me I want local dishes OK, rice rice is not my thing. I was like yaaaayy I have my match. It was amazing working with her, and today she decided to spend sometime with us… 
Ladies and Gentlemen, she is Miss Tourism 2012, that’s all I will say for now.. want to find out more about this personality, just scroll down.



Nel: Who is Miss Tourism 2012?

Esi:  Well that will be me. She is a lady who shares the same birthday with Ghana’s First President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, hence don’t be surprised if she becomes the first female president of Ghana. She is currently a final year student undertaking her postgraduate degree in law under the University of London International Programmes. She was crowned Miss Tourism Ghana 2012 and loves to cook, act, research and spend quality time with her family. Esinam is a lover of the entertainment industry and hopes to feature in a Hollywood blockbuster movie in the near future. Her philosophy of life revolves around the British Statesman, Sir Winston Churchill’s saying that “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”.

Nel:  You really do know you! Alright tell us about your journey in the world of beauty pageants and competitions. 

Esi:Well, my journey in the world of pageantry started when i was a little girl growing up in Osu who was always glued to the television set watching Miss Ghana back in the late 90’s. I knew that whatever i wanted to achieve in my adult life was supposed to be a source of inspiration to both the young and the old.My debut in pageantry was during my high school days in Keta Senior Secondary School and during my undergraduate studies at the University of Ghana, I auditioned to be part of Face of Legon, and made it to the grand finale but didn’t make it to the top five finalists.

My next shot at a beauty pageant after series of grooming sessions was in 2011 when I was selected to be part of the sixteen girls who made it to the Miss Malaika Ghana house and during the grand finale, I was in the top five and went home with three awards, Miss Talent, Best Evening Gown and Miss Catwalk. 

In 2012, I auditioned for Miss Tourism Ghana, which is by far one of the best pageants in Ghana because it deals with a vital area of the Ghanaian economy that helps generate revenue for the country. I was crowned Miss Tourism Ghana 2012 and ended up swooping more than half of the awards that were up for grabs on the night, which included, Miss Eloquence, Miss Talent, Miss Photogenic, and Best Specific Tourism segment. This has been my journey in the world of pageantry.


Nel: How did the competition help groom you into who you are now.

Esi: Miss Tourism Ghana has moulded me into the confident, outspoken lady speaking to you today. It also gave me the platform to network with eminent personalities both locally and internationally which has afforded me with the needed exposure that has had a profound impact on my view of the world in which we live. 

Nel: Growing up as a young lady, I have on several accounts heard people, both male and female dicuss the issue of pageantry and morality. Actually, my eldest sister was once Miss Obaasima (which will now be Miss CUC) during her days as student in Central University College. I know she would have loved to pursue that dream but for this unfavourable misconception that is gaining grounds about beauty Queens and morality. What’s your take on it? 

Esi: I believe its all about perception. As human beings we come across various temptations especially when you are a beautiful young lady who either has the dream to be a beauty queen or has in fact won a pageant. You tend to receive a lot of favors and attention from men especially but at the end of the day it boils down to you the individual, your values, principles, and what they stand for in your life. 

Nel: Principles. Thats one thing no person can shove it down your throat. You make them yourself and be sure not to compromise. Let the world say and do what the may. Stand for something else you fall for anything. Within my few months of knowing you I can tell are full of so much energy. What’s your secrert young lady besides God ofcourse.

Esi: My dad.He is my sole inspiration and the reason I keep striving to achieve my goals in life. He was my driving force when i was competing for the various pageants I found myself in and he still is as i aspire to be a lawyer in the near future.

Nel: Daddy Daddy. We the Akans will say Dada Ba. Moving on, any particular women , you look up to as mentors and role models in your chosen path of life and why? 

Esi: Definitely. Her name is Etta Mensah and she was my Common Law Reasoning and Institutions lecturer during my first year on the University of London International Programme. She is a young industrious woman in her 30’s.I admire her sense of perseverance, commitment and dedication to achieving her goals. In a short space of time she has achieved so much in her life as a young woman and she never ceases to amaze me. 

Nel: Yuhp I remember you mention her to me and the other ladies one time during our internship programme when we stole time to chat a while. Well done Ma’am.  

Alright soo if you had the opportunity to be a young 10 year child again, with all the knowledge and expertise in life now, what would you change about your life as a young woman? 

Esi: Mmm….now that’s a difficult one. To be honest i will change nothing about my life as a young woman. I love the woman I am now with all my perfections and imperfections. I have grown to embrace all aspects of my life for they have actually molded me into the woman I am today. 


Nel: What is your advice to the young woman out there who is scared and afraid to go all out for herself because of society?

Esi: According to Stephanie Melish ‘Fear is an idea-crippling, experience-crushing, success-stalling inhibitor inflicted by yourself’. Sweetheart, if you are out there reading this don’t be scared to go all out for yourself for you owe it to yourself to be happy. Forget about what society thinks, and do what makes you happy and feel fulfilled because at the end of the day whether you go all out or not society will still be around. You are special and have a role to play and you must play it to the best of your ability.

Nel: What top 5 pieces of advice would you give to young girls and why?

Esi:  Well here you go!!

  • Be yourself because everyone else is taken.
  • Humility is the key to your altitude in life.
  • Always lend a helping hand when you can because we all need help in one way or the other.
  • Do what you love because it won’t seem like work and you would do it with joy.
  • Never ever compromise on your values as an individual for that is what makes you who you really are.

Nel: Finally finally, What does the future hold for you in pageantry

Esi: Well, pageants have shaped me into the fine young woman i am today. I work with the Miss Tourism Ghana Organization every year to groom the contestants as well as help organize the main event. 
However, In the near future i hope to run a pageant of my own to give other young ladies the opportunity I was given to better themselves and the lives of people around them.

Nel: Esinam thanks soo much for your time. I know I have had to be on you just a little for this piece but am very grateful dear. And I hope we get to work again with all the other ladies so we can continue our coffee treats every morning. 

Esi:  lol. Sure thing Nelia. Thank you for the opportunity as well to tell my story. I’m honoured.


Well there you have it. Very insightful and mind boggling lessons. Hope you enjoyed it and it was helpful. Let’s get talking. Be sure to leave a comment right here??.
Love, Nelia ??

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