Malietoa Tanumafili II

Malietoa Tanumafili II (4 January 1913 – 11 May 2007), addressed Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, was the Malietoa, the title of one of Samoa's four paramount chiefs, and the head of state, or O le Ao o le Malo, a position that he held for life, of Samoa from 1962 to 2007.

His Highness was born on 4 January 1913 as the son and third child of his parents, Malietoa Tanumafili I and Momoe Lupeuluiva Meleisea.

He was chosen as the Mālietoa in 1940 following his father's death on 5 July 1939.

Tanumafili was educated at the government run Leififi School in Samoa.

He went on to enroll at St. Stephen's School and Wesley College in Pukekohe, both of which are in New Zealand.

Malietoa was an active athlete during his younger years.

His favourite sports included boxing, rugby and cricket.

Malietoa's interest in sports continued throughout his life and he was an avid golfer well into his 90s.

He could often be seen driving his golf cart around Samoa.

Tanumafili officially inherited the royal title of Malietoa in 1940, following the 1939 death of his father, Malietoa Tanumafili I, though some media reports claim that he received the title of Malietoa in 1939.

Soon after becoming Malietoa, he was appointed to serve as a special adviser, also called Fautua, to the New Zealand administration and governor of Samoa, known as the New Zealand Trusteeship of Samoa, until independence in 1962.

Upon Samoa's independence in 1962, Malietoa Tanumafili II became O le Ao o le Malo, or head of state for a lifetime term, jointly with Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole.

Tanumafili and Mea'ole would serve jointly as head of state for just 16 months.

He was co-head of state in 1962 with the tama-a-'aiga Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole and became the sole head of state on 15 April 1963 upon the death of his co-regent.

At the time of his death, he was the oldest national leader in the world, and was also the last incumbent president-for-life in the world.

His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II was also the first head of state to be a follower of the Bahá’í Faith.

The Malietoa is one of the four tama-a-'aiga (maximal lineage) titles of Samoa, alongside Tupua Tamasese, Mata-afa and Tuimalealiifano.

Following an extended period deliberation, the Malietoa title passed to his eldest son, Malietoa Fa’amausili Molī.

When Mea'ole died in 1963, Tanumafili became the sole head of state, a post he held for life until his death in 2007.

He is often credited for providing much of the stability that Samoa has enjoyed post independence.

Malietoa travelled extensively during his term as O le Ao o le Malo.

He announced his belief via official letterhead on Friday 30 March 1973.

Following his letter, on Monday 7 May 1973, the Universal House of Justice announced to the Bahá’ís of the World that a reigning monarch, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, had accepted the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.

He travelled to the People's Republic of China for an official state visit in 1976.

The Chinese government hosted him with a banquet on the eve of Wednesday 8 September 1976.

That very evening, 10 minutes after the stroke of midnight Mao Zedong passed away.

Malietoa then proceeded to the United Kingdom whereupon he visited the graveside of Shoghi Effendi, first and last Guardian of the Baháʼí Administrative Order, the following Sunday 12 September.

Additionally, during his term he also visited Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the former West Germany.

On Saturday 27 January 1979 Malietoa laid the foundational cornerstone of the Baháʼí House of Worship in Tiapapata, eight kilometres from the country's capital of Apia.

The temple was subsequently dedicated by him at completion on Saturday 1 September 1984.

Tanumafili had eleven children during his life; one child died in infancy, while two of his sons, Papalii Laupepa and Papaliitele Eti, died in 1985 and 2005 respectively.

His eight other children are his sons Sua Vainuupo, Afioga Malietoa Papaliitele Faamausili Molī (the current holder of the Malietoa title), Papaliitele Titiuatoa, Papaliitele Ioane, Papaliitele Douglas and his daughters Seiuli Tutai, Lola Tosi (mother-in-law of Tongan prince Lord Ma'atu) and Momoe.

At the time of his death, he had four surviving children – two sons and two daughters.

Malietoa Tanumafili II was a follower of the Baháʼí Faith.

He was the first President and the first serving head of state to be a member of the religion.

His wife, Lili Tunu, died in 1986.

Malietoa Tanumafili was among the foreign dignitaries who attended the funeral of Japanese Emperor Showa in 1989.

Malietoa Tanumafili II was described as the last survivor of a generation of important Pacific leaders who guided their countries and peoples from colonialism to independence.

His death was the latest in a string of recent, high-profile passings of members of this Pacific generation of leaders, which included Fijian Prime Minister and later President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the King of Tonga, Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, and New Zealand's Maori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

Malietoa Tanumafili II died at 18:45 on Friday 11 May 2007, at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital at Motoʻotua in Apia, Samoa.