AyorkorPrincess Of Weija
AT AGE 45, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway still possesses a vexatious beauty and a mesmerizing smile that raises eyebrows anywhere she goes.
Shirley, whose stunning looks can make her pass for a Beauty Queen rather than a politician, is the Member of Parliament for the largest constituency in the country, Weija, as well as the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiatives.
Though born in a deprived community, Ga Mashie, Shirley grew up in a place where the rich folks live and the beautiful ones play.
DAILY GUIDE had a 'revealing' interview with her, during which she spoke on the secret behind her beauty, proposals from men, her childhood, school days, family, political life and future ambitions.
(DG): You do not look 45. What is the secret?
Shirley Ayorkor Botchway (SAB): It is a blessing. I do not take negative things to heart so I try to be cheerful all the time and look on the lighter side of life and of course I take very good care of myself. I would have loved to have more time for myself; I cannot do that in this job where there is a lot of stress and one has to eat late and stuffs like that but I try to take good care of myself.
I think for me that is the secret.
DG: People say you are beautiful
SAB: That I have heard. I do not particularly like it very much because I think people should look beyond that. I think I offer a lot more than beauty and there are brains behind the beauty.
DG: Others say you are sexy
b That I have not heard. What is sexy? It depends on who is saying it and what it means. It really depends. The way somebody moves might be sexy, someone's legs might be sexy, the way somebody talks might be sexy, so it depends. People should tell me what they mean by saying I am sexy.
DG: Is it true you are very close to the President?
SAB: Yes. We are very close. He is like a father to me. He advises me on political issues and when I want to pick his mind on some few issues I go to him.
DG: Are your male colleagues attracted to you?
SAB: Well, so far my male colleagues have been very good. Once in a while somebody would pass a comment.
DG: A comment like what?
SAB: Whatever it is that you are implying is exactly what I am also implying. I mean once in a while you hear such things. It does not even have to be from a politician but once you are a woman and you are not married, then you would hear those kind of comments once in a while from men. People who like you would want to go further than that but of course you take it in good faith and if you are available you tell them and if you are unavailable you let them know you are not. I am not available at all.
DG: Why are you not available and what does it mean?
SAB: You know what I mean when I say I am not available. Let's leave it at such.
DG: To whom and where were you born?
SAB: My father, Mr. Reginald Botchwey is a Chartered Accountant and mother, Rebecca Botchwey, used to work at the Ghana Institute of Journalism many years ago. I am the first-born. I had two brothers. I was born here in Accra in the center of town in the Odododiodoo Constituency in a place close to the London market and also close to Agbado Chambers.
DG: So you grew in the heart of Accra.
SAB: No I was born there, then when I was about two we moved to England. My father went to finish his Accountancy course, came back and then I was enrolled into New Hope Preparatory School around Korle-Gonno and after my Common Entrance, was enrolled into Akosombo International, then from there I went to do my sixth form at the St. Mary's Secondary School.
I then went back to England to school and stay for a little while before coming back home. I then went to the GIJ and the University of Westminster. Later I did my MBA at the University of Ghana.
DG: You were a pampered child, often celebrated by your friends.
SAB: I do not think so. I grew up in a household and though I was the only girl my mother did not have the word pamper in her dictionary at all. Even though we had househelps and people who did the washing, she made sure I did my own laundry and helped in the kitchen. Yes I had friends but I was not the wild type and I had a curfew on when to come home and all that so I could not be wild.
DG: You had a boyfriend?
SAB: I did not have one at that stage
DG: When did you get one?
SAB: I think it was after sixth form but my daughter should not hear this. Of course I was in a girls' Catholic school and a boarding house for that matter, so that had an effect on me. But of course when you come home on vacations you definitely mix with people of your age from all kind of schools so you make friends.
DG: You have children?
SAB: I have one boy and a girl and an adopted boy. My daughter is 20 and in the university but my son is very little.
DG: What pushed you into politics?
SAB: I have always wanted to help the women and children in Gbawe, where my father comes from. That is one area where you find a lot of under-privileged people and very low income people.
The children are not in school and you find them cracking stones. I have always nurtured that desire but what actually pushed me was when Dan Botwe was the NPP General Secretary and Afari was Press Secretary. I had jokingly said to them in a chat that I would contest the MP seat in 2004. I was only joking but they said it was a good idea and of course when the nomination was opened I started getting calls and a lot of pressure from people to pick up the form.
DG: Was it difficult for you?
SAB: What was more difficult was getting nominated. There were other strong contenders and they gave me a tough time but after several court appearances, we went for primary and I won the primary but that was at a time I had only five weeks to campaign.
Yet we came out with 77,000 votes, which was the highest number of votes for our party.
DG: Reports say there was some rigging
SAB: Definitely not. The number could have been greater than that but a lot of my supporters did not turn up to vote. The court thing affected us in a way, else we could have done better. We worked hard and they decided to vote for me. There were some who told me they would vote for me simply because they like the way I look.
DG: Would you contest your seat again?
SAB: I would love to if my constituents agree and they have told me they would love to see me in parliament one more time to continue the work I have started and to ensure that they come to a successful completion. I would love to go again and I would put myself to it when the nominations are open throughout the country.
DG: How far would you want to reach in politics?
SAB: As far as I can get. For everybody who is in politics, the pinnacle is to reach the point where you lead a party. So maybe one day I would be President or whatever. It is not everybody that would reach there but that is an aspiration for most of us politicians. Wherever God takes me I would be very happy. I am very happy where I am now. Politics for me would not be forever; it is very demanding and equally fulfilling but it would not be forever. One day I would love to spend some more time with my little boy and spend some time with myself.
DG: What things inspire you and who are your role models?
SAB: I have a belief in Ghana and I know that we have progressed a lot and I can see us soon becoming a force to reckon with and I have a desire to be a part of that change. I am also driven by a desire to achieve some clear and tangible changes for my constituency. I admire a few people like Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. I believe in what she has been able to achieve, first for herself and where she has taken Liberia from and where she is taking it. I believe in life we do not get what we deserve, we get what we fight for, that is one philosophy I fight for and that is why I admire President Kufuor a lot because he has gone through a lot of difficulties in life and has been able to get to where he is today. I believe in people who do not give up but fight through.