Femi Claudius Cole (born 1962) is a

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

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 presi ...

. She is the only woman party leader in

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 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, educational and p ...

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

. 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 Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone (after Freetown and Bo, Sierra Leone, Bo), and the largest city in the country's Eastern Province, Sierra Leone, Eastern Province. It is the capital of Kenema District and a major economic center of ...

, 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 M ...

. 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

. 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 infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

, and other illnesses. The initiative included town meetings in marginalized communities. Cole received the endorsements of

Isata Jabbie Kabbah Isata Jabbie Kabbah is a Sierra Leonean politician. She is president of the All Political Parties Women Association, APPWA. She is the widow of the 3rd President of Sierra Leone Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. She is the former women’s leader of the Sier ...

, the former

First Lady of Sierra Leone The title First Lady of Sierra Leone is held by the female spouse of the president of Sierra Leone. The first lady is a representative of the people of Sierra Leone at home and abroad. The Office of the First Lady is an extension of State House an ...

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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Femi Claudius 1962 births Living people 21st-century Sierra Leonean politicians Sierra Leone People's Party politicians 21st-century Sierra Leonean women politicians Sierra Leone Creole people People of Sierra Leone Creole descent Sierra Leonean nurses Sierra Leone women's rights activists