‘I am everything I am because I’m African’

NOTHING COMES EASILY AS A BLACK WOMAN IN THIS WORLD, NO ONE IS GOING TO PULL OUT A RED CARPET FOR YOU, BUT YOU CAN PULL OUT YOUR OWN RED CARPET TAMBARI SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2018

MacDella Cooper, also known as Liberia’s Angel, was born on March 13, 1977. She is a Liberian philanthropist and founder of the MacDella Cooper Foundation, an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of children and women in Liberia. In October 2016, Cooper announced her intention to run for the presidency of Liberia in 2017 during the country’s national elections. She was the youngest and the only female presidential aspirant. Cooper was born in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, where she lived till civil war broke out. As a result of the war, she was forced into exile in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, where she spent her early teenage years as a refugee before migrating to the United States in 1993. She attended and graduated from Barringer High School in Newark, New Jersey, where she was one of the topranked students in her class. She subsequently earned a full scholarship to College of New Jersey. Cooper has a degree in Communication. The mother of three, philanthropist, activist, politician and a bit of fashion enthusiast, who also had a stint in the modelling world, spoke with Tambari Extra.

WAspirations growing up e came from a family that respects culture, education and position in the society. That was my great grandparents’ way of life. It was all about not bringing shame to your family’s name. As a woman you should know your place and role. You can go and do great things, but whatever you do has to make the family proud. So there was this burden to hold respect for the family and uphold its name.

My mother was a 15-year-old who got pregnant by a guy who took advantage of her. She had her first kid at 16 and it shadowed a lot of dreams she had. She had six kids eventually, and I was the only girl. They excluded her from the family circle because she had brought shame to them by getting pregnant, even though it wasn’t her fault. So my family ousted my mother instead of the man who was responsible. She had to go to the big city on her own and give birth to her child without support from the father or the family. I saw my mother’s life and how she struggled and that helped me a big deal.

Growing up, I don’t remember aspiring to be anything professionally, but I knew I didn’t want to have a child at 16. I knew I wanted to obtain a college degree before I got married. I knew I wanted to contribute to the society. But my mother later became an operating nurse and one of the best operating doctors in Liberia. I became very proud of her, but I had to prevent myself from going through what she went through as a young woman. And that’s the story of many young women in Africa. So I put a shield around myself that it would never happen to me or any young girl I encounter. So my aspiration was to be a feminist and protect the lives of young women. Joys of motherhood It is one of the best things that happened to me. I never thought I was going to have children. I was too focused on my career and serving Africa, my country and philanthropy that I never thought about a grandeur wedding and becoming somebody’s property. I thought I would build a life for people but never for myself. Eventually, I had my first daughter and I was okay. I have this little person now, so I have to take my Chanel and Gucci bags and put in the bedroom so that I can prepare milk bottles there. But it changed my life completely. I love the gift God gave me. She became the most precious thing in my life. Life lessons The life of MacDella Cooper has thought me a lot of things. Sometimes I feel like a bystander watching the life of MacDella Cooper. It’s a good rollercoaster ride that all started out from a very humble beginning and moved on to this grandeur position for someone coming from a small village to moving on to the biggest cities in the world, New York, and rubbing elbows with the biggest politicians and global leaders. That doesn’t just happen to the average girl. But the main lesson is that life can be taken from you at any time. You are privileged to have it, so make the best out of it. Everyday counts. Be grateful, honour children, take care of them, love your country, continent and people with everything you have in you.

I am everything I am because I’m African, so to mask any ounce of my Africanness is to deny who I really am and what I’m called to do. I don’t wear too many western clothes because I’m an African woman. I represent what I am proudly.

I have zero tolerance for bad leadership and people who think it’s okay to abuse Africans and African nations. I don’t care who you are or where you’re from and what rights you think you have. You don’t have the right to ill-treat anyone. Life has taught me strength, nothing comes easily as a black woman in this world. No one is going to pull out a red carpet for you, but you can pull out your own red carpet. I’ve never played a victim because I’m not a victim. I pulled out my own red carpet and I have lived the life I was called to live and listened to one person only - my creator. I appreciate advice from my friends, colleagues and advisers, but at the end of the day I only listen to what my creator wants me to do. Passion behind the MacDella Cooper Foundation After an amazing jet-setting life that was provided for me in America just before my return to Africa, there was a burning desire to become a part of the development of Africa, especially Liberia where I’m from. I would travel around the world, be invited to these amazing places by the big names and I enjoyed every moment of it. But there

I HAVE MY CUSTOM WHICH IS WHEN I ARRIVE AT MY HOTEL ROOM, I ORDER OKRO SOUP WITH SWALLOW, FUFU TO BE PRECISE

was a fire in me saying, “MacDella, these countries were built for them - Italy was built for Italians, America was built for Americans. You are an African young woman, it’s the time to go home and build Africa. So I thought deeply about that and I was so impacted by the vision I had for Africa.

Foundations are started by people who are wealthy and want to give back to the society and have millions to give away. I didn’t have that. So one day I woke up and told myself, ‘just do it.’ Start a foundation and ask some friends to help out; and that’s exactly what I did. In 2003, we started a foundation to charter resources for Liberia and they said we would call it the MacDella Cooper Foundation because “you are from Liberia and the people know you, not us.’’ That was the starting point of the foundation. During my first trip to Liberia, I was faced with a reality that I wasn’t ready for. Favourite music This is no offence to persons of other faiths. I do love and appreciate all. I am obsessed with gospel music. There’s something about good gospel music like Travis Greene and the Mercy in Me that just shakes up my spirit in the morning and my worship is just crazy. My children are like, “Mommy, are you okay?” Favourite Nigerian dish I love African food. I love fufu and soup. I know many countries have their versions of fufu and soup, but when I arrive in Nigeria, whether it’s Lagos or Abuja, I have my custom which is when I arrive at my hotel room, I order okro soup with swallow, fufu to be precise. Favourite book I have read so many books that made major impacts on my life. One of them is by Phillip Roth. He writes very interesting stories from an interesting vantage point. One of the books I really liked, which he turned into a movie is, The Human Stain. It was something I took a lot out of. Just the title of it alone says a lot. I also love the biography of Maya Angelou. She lived an amazing life. I love biographies of people because you know more about what people did before me so that I can head in that direction. I want to know what to avoid and what to continue to do. I’ve also read Obama and Clinton’s biographies. Favourite fashion designer When I was in the fashion industry, I was sent a lot of free clothes. The company I worked for gave me $4,000 to wear their stuff. So I wore a lot of Ralph Lauren, especially their polo shirts. But today, since I moved back home, I love the dresses of the women of the village. I take like $5 and buy fabrics and then create a masterpiece. I’ve worn a lot of Chanel and Gucci, which I still have, especially the bags. I like Stuart Weitzman shoes. I have all these major brands in my closet, but what makes me feel like the woman I am is just taking a cheap African prints, sewing the garments and wrapping my head like the queen every African woman is. So it surpasses a brand because most of the time, the women make me clothes without brands, but when I wear them, I feel greater than when I wear a Gucci dress. First app you check in the morning/bedtime The news app. I do my worship, meditation, then check my news app and WhatsApp. It gives me all the headlines across the world, especially from a political angle. I go to WhatsApp to check my messages. Favourite colour It varies from red to orange, to a shade of pink and brown as well. Favoruite car A Jaguar. My seven-year-old son is obsessed with cars, so he introduced me to Bugatti Veyron and McClaren. He wants to be a racecar driver. Favourite perfume My counter is filled with every perfume, but I love Roberto Cavalli. I think he is very much influenced by African prints because he plays with colours and it also shows in his perfume because it is feminine but very strong. The perfume I use depends on my mood for the day. But I try not to go with fragrances that are too feminine because I know it is distracting to my male counterparts.

Mum’s advice that stuck with you over the years

After my campaign, my mother said to me, “Della, you didn’t win this time, but remember you are a natural government of your own.” And I just burst out laughing. She called me from the US and said, “Not because you don’t have a government to lead, but you are leading a government that no one can stop or overthrow.” That was just beautiful and it will stick with me forever.