Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
an politician. In 2016 she founded the Unity Party, making her the first Sierra Leonean woman to form a political party. In 2018, she was the first woman to run for the office of
President of Sierra Leone
The president of the Republic of Sierra Leone is the head of state and the head of government of Sierra Leone, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
As the head of the executive branch of the Sierra Leone government, the pre ...
. She is the only woman party leader in
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
.
Early life
Olufemi Claudius-Cole was born in 1962 to Rosalind and Dr. A.B. Claudius Cole, a doctor. Her parents founded the West End Clinic in
Freetown
Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...
.
Career
Cole was a nurse over twenty years. She worked as a nurse in Sierra Leone and abroad. She was chief matron of the West End Clinic in
Freetown
Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...
.
The gaps in available healthcare services between wealthy and poor Sierra Leoneans, the high maternal death rate and the high rate of deaths from preventable or treatable illnesses motivated her interest in politics. Cole considered joining a political party in 2013, but could not find one that she agreed with.
Unity Party Sierra Leone
Claudius Cole founded the Unity Party in November 2016. She began her presidential campaign before the party was officially registered in October 2017.
The aim of the Unity Party is to bring Sierra Leoneans of all ethnic groups together in a common effort to improve the country. The party's main focus is education, health, job creation and increased international trade.
The party has offices in Bo,
Kenema
Based on the 2021 national mid-term census, Kenema has a population of 255,110. making it the second most populous city in Sierra Leone after Freetown, and the largest city in the country's Eastern Province, Sierra Leone, Eastern Province. Kenema ...
, and
Makeni
Makeni is the largest city in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The city is the capital of Bombali District, and is the economic center of the Northern Province. Makeni is the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone by population. The city of ...
.
Cole stood as a candidate in the
2018 Sierra Leonean general election
General elections were held in Sierra Leone on 7 March 2018 to elect the President, Parliament and local councils. She was the only female presidential candidate in the election and the first woman in history to run for the office of
President of Sierra Leone
The president of the Republic of Sierra Leone is the head of state and the head of government of Sierra Leone, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
As the head of the executive branch of the Sierra Leone government, the pre ...
.
In partnership with the West End Clinic, she established the Unity Movement Sierra Leone a voter outreach initiative through mobile medical outreach programs to treat
malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
,
hypertension
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...
,
diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
, and other illnesses. The initiative included town meetings in marginalized communities.
Cole received the endorsements of Isata Jabbie Kabbah, the former First Lady of Sierra Leone and Dr.Nemata Majeks Walker, founder of the 50/50 Sierra Leone Group.
The Unity Party won 0.2% of the vote in the 2018 General Election.