1. Early Life and Career
2. Early Career
3. Parliamentary Bid
4. Political Career
5. Head of State
6. 2021 Constitutional Crisis
7. Chancellor of USP
8. Education

Early Life and Career

Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II was born into the prestigious Tuimalealiʻifano family, a cadet branch of the royal Tupua dynasty and one of Samoa's four paramount chiefly titles. He was conferred the title of Tuimalealiʻifano in July 1977.

Early Career

Before entering politics, Tuimalealiʻifano worked as a police officer, lawyer, and secondary school teacher. He served as a police officer in New Zealand for three years and held positions as a public defender, public trustee, and barrister and solicitor in Samoa's Supreme Court.

He is an ordained deacon and lay preacher in the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa and has preached in Australia and New Zealand.

Parliamentary Bid

2001 General Election

Tuimalealiʻifano contested the 2001 general election as an independent candidate but was defeated by incumbent Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) representative Misa Telefoni Retzlaff. Despite having the support of the village council, his candidacy encountered resistance due to concerns about the involvement of a paramount chief in politics.

Political Career

Member of Council of Deputies

Tuimalealiʻifano served as a member of the Council of Deputies from 1993 to 2001 and again from 2004 onwards.

Head of State

On July 21, 2017, Tuimalealiʻifano was sworn in as Head of State of Samoa, known as the O le Ao o le Malo. In this role, he hosted the visit of President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2019.

2021 Constitutional Crisis

In May 2021, Tuimalealiʻifano attempted to annul the results of the 2021 elections and call for fresh elections. The Samoa Supreme Court overturned the decision, triggering a constitutional crisis.

In 2022, his term was extended until the next parliamentary sitting in August. On August 23, 2022, he was reappointed as Head of State for a further five-year term.

Chancellor of USP

On July 1, 2022, Tuimalealiʻifano became the 29th Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP), succeeding Dalton Tagelagi of Niue. His term ended on July 30, 2023, with David Vunagi, Governor-General of the Solomon Islands, succeeding him.

Education

Tuimalealiʻifano holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the Australian National University and a Certificate and Diploma in Theological Studies from Malua Theological College.

East samoa