Source: Front Page Africa
Macdella Cooper, who previously acknowledged to the New York Post that her third child is fathered by football legend and Montserrado County Senator George Weah and expressed interest in becoming the future First Lady of Liberia is now eyeing the Liberian presidency, becoming the first woman to do so for the 2017 Presidential elections.
"He's going to be the next President of Liberia. You have a future First Lady here," the former fashion model and philanthropist told the New York Post in October 2014
The Post in October 2014 described Cooper, who had given birth to a child whom she claims was fathered by Liberian soccer legend George Weah, as a fertile former fashion model, already had children by Dick Parsons of Citigroup fame, and the late advertising exec Thomas Tafuto.
"He's going to be the next President of Liberia," Cooper told me.
"You have a future first lady here," she laughed, the Post's Richard Johnson reported.
However, it seems that the table has turned 360 degrees, with the model-turned-politician now relegating Weah--who launched his second Presidential bid earlier this year--to an ambassadorial role.
Cooper said it was an "imperative to effectively improve the basic needs and social services for Liberians. Over a third of all Liberians continue to live on less than $1 a day. That is just unacceptable."
The chairman of the Union of Liberian Democrat (ULD) Solomon Khan said with Cooper as the face of the party, victory was certain because she cane with all it takes to become Liberia's next President.
"MacDella is a humble, educated visionary and above all compassionate as evidenced by the level of work she has done in the country," Khan said.
Appearing Monday on Capital Talk on Capital FM, Cooper admitted that she has a child with George Weah, Hilary George Weah.
She had previously told the show's lead presenter, Boakai Fofana to figure out which of her three children is fathered by the Congress for Democratic Change's (CDC) political leader.
"I am not here to focus on attacking anyone during this race," she said when questioned over her relationship with Weah. "I am open to the attacks. I am not that innocent not to know that in politics people do a lot of character assassinations," she added.
She wanted to remain focused on the issues, rather than the personalities.
"I don't want to sit here to talk about George Weah because George Weah can speak for himself."
She appreciated the scrutiny of the public following at the end of the program. "It is absolutely great. I like it. No you got to expect this and the people have the right to know about their leader."
She said she remained open to discuss issues they wanted to talk about, including her personal life, including her relationship with Senator Weah.
Weah -- who spent 14 years playing for clubs in France, Italy, and England -- took Cooper with him in 2013 when he was inducted into the Mexican Football Hall of Fame.
"Their affair is no secret here in Monrovia."
"They pretty much stay together when they are in town," one reader in Monrovia claimed.
The pair was recently in Monte Carlo with Prince Albert and his Princess Charlene.
Weah has four children. He is on hiatus as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador while he pursues his political career.
"He is someone who has a big heart," Cooper says. "We are going to change Liberia," she had said.
"Maybe Weah will come to New York on Dec. 5 for Cooper's Africa United Against Ebola benefit at Landmark on the Park."
Cooper fled the 1990 as a13-year-old, interrupting her dreams, according to a biography on her website.
"MacDella was a happy, well-adjusted high school student looking forward to making her mark on the world."
"But that dream would be interrupted, for that year, in early 1990, a brutal civil war started in Liberia. "
"The nation's economic, political and social systems were decimated. The United Nations estimates that 250,000 people were killed and one million were displaced.
More than 700,000 Liberians fled to neighboring countries to avoid the war. MacDella Cooper was one of them.
"Less fortunate refugees lived in camps for more than 10 years. Children have suffered the most damage; a high percentage of them were recruited as child soldiers; boys were taken to fight, and girls were captured and forced into sexual slavery.
Other children were abandoned or orphaned.
"MacDella managed to escape to the bordering Ivory Coast after the capture of her stepfather, who was later pronounced dead (the body was never recovered).
In November 1993, she finally got clearance to come to the United States, where she was reunited with her mother and siblings.
"Mackie" enjoyed a teenage as a "popular girl" and received a full academic scholarship to college, where she obtained a degree in Electronic Communication.
After graduating, she moved to Manhattan to pursue a successful career in fashion and corporate event planning."
"With her past behind her, millions of miles away on a faraway continent, she enjoyed a successful career in the rarefied world of fashion, and could easily have adopted the glamorous New York style scene as her permanent escape from the horrors she'd witnessed.
But Macdella Cooper never forgot the country she left behind. She couldn't overlook how much suffering her fellow Liberians endured.
She wanted to do something to help.
"MacDella envisioned a brighter future for the people of her homeland - especially its young people, who carry the promise of the future and change.
She had been one of those kids herself; her hopes had not been crushed. So she rolled up her sleeves and got to work, to make that vision a reality.
"She began donating money and resources to individuals, orphanages and women's groups; those philanthropic efforts grew into the MacDella Cooper Foundation (MCF).
Founded in 2004, MCF is a 501(c)(3) international charitable organization devoted to empowering Liberian youth, especially orphans and abandoned children, by providing education and the basic necessities of clothing, food, and safe shelter.
The crown jewel of MacDella's philanthropic efforts is the establishment of the MCF Academy, the first tuition-free boarding school for orphaned Liberian children.
"Dubbed 'Liberia's Angel' in the media, MacDella has dedicated her life to the children of her homeland."
"To date, MCF has raised over one million dollars, providing scholarships, renovating orphanages, and building the MCF Academy. "
"Many high-profile entities - corporations, individuals, and organizations - are proud to support MCF."