Tufuga Efi

Early life and education

Tupua was born on 1 March 1938 at Motoʻotua in Samoa. He is the son of Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole (1905–1963), who served as head of state alongside Malietoa Tanumafili II following the independence of Western Samoa in 1962, and Irene Gustava Noue Nelson, of Samoan, Swedish and British descent. He is also a nephew of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III, a prominent Samoan independence leader, and a cousin of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV, who later served as Western Samoa's prime minister during the 1970s.

Tupua attended primary school at the Marist Brothers School at Mulivai in the Samoan capital of Apia. He continued his education at St. Patrick's College in Silverstream, Wellington, New Zealand. He was also educated at Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand's capital city.

Prime Minister of Samoa

Tupua began his political career in May 1965, when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Vaisigano No. 1 constituency. He served as Samoa's Minister of Works from 1970 until 1972.

Tupua served as prime minister for two consecutive terms from 1976 to 1982. He also served as deputy prime minister from 1985 to 1988. It was during his second term as prime minister that the Public Service Association went on a general strike in 1981, paralysing the country for several months and paving the way for the opposition Human Rights Protection Party's entry to government in 1982. The party would go on to hold power until 2021.

Tupua became Leader of the Opposition following his Christian Democratic Party's election defeat in 1982. He also headed the Samoan National Development Party. He continued to serve Anoamaʻa East as MP until 2004 when he was appointed to Samoa's Council of Deputies alongside Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II.

Tupua Tamasese title

Upon Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV's death in 1983, the question as to a successor was raised with Tupuola Efi staking his claim. However, this would require ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao agreeing to his appointment. Salani agreed, however Falefa and Lufilufi opposed it. Tupuola Efi proceeded without the unanimous support of ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao. On the morning of his installation ceremony, the nation's public broadcaster, Radio 2AP, read an announcement from the family's matua, Moeono Alaiʻasā Kolio, notifying the country that both Falefa and Lufilufi had not sanctioned Tufuga Efi's ascension to the title, nullifying the candidate's grasp for the title once again.

In 1986, Tupuola Efi again sought out ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao's blessing. Falefa and Lufilufi eventually agreed to Tupuola Tufuga Efi's ascension to the titles after the ailing Moeono granted his approval. In November 1986, ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao, ʻĀiga o Mavaega and ʻĀiga Sā Tuala jointly conferred the title on Tupuola Efi in an installation ceremony at Vaimoso jointly registering the title under their family names. This uneasy agreement to joint conferral would later be challenged in Samoa's Land and Titles Court.

The following year, the court ruled that the right of conferral of the Tupua Tamasese title belonged exclusively to ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao of Falefa and Salani.

O le Ao o le Malo

Following the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II on 11 May 2007, Tupua and Tuimalealiʻifano performed the functions of the head of state in an acting capacity, as members of the Council of Deputies. Tupua was elected head of state on 16 June 2007. His was the only nomination put forth in Samoa's Fono (parliament) and thus the decision was unanimous. His election was welcomed by many Samoans both in Samoa and abroad. He was sworn into office on 20 June 2007.

He was re-elected in July 2012 by a majority vote of the Legislative Assembly. However, he was not re-appointed as of 20 July 2017 after a controversial move by then-prime minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, which saw a legislative assembly vote of 23 to 15. This was after an initial vote that was taken, which saw the tamaʻāiga gain the majority of support from the ruling HRPP caucus. This was seen as but a mere formality and that Tui Ātua would again be elected to office to serve as Head of State. However, owing to decades of tension with Tuilaʻepa, Tui Ātua was instead replaced in a backroom vote by Tuimalealiʻifano.

Later political career

In December 2024 he was reappointed to the Council of Deputies. He formally took his seat on the council in January 2025.

Academia

Tupua held a number of academic positions during and after his political career as an MP and prime minister.

Tupua served as an adjunct professor for Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in New Zealand. He later became an associate member of the Matahauariki Institute at Waikato University. He was a PhD examiner at Australian National University in Canberra for Pacific and Samoan history.

Tupua was a resident scholar of the Pacific Studies Centre of the Australian National University and the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

Tupua helped to begin excavations at Samoa's important Pulemelei Mound archaeological site. Samoans, under Tupua Tamasese, carried out a ceremony to honour Thor Heyerdahl for his contributions to Polynesia and the Pulemelei Mound excavations in 2003.

In late 2007 Tupua established an overseas boarding school scholarship to St. Patrick's College, Silverstream, which allows one student per year to live and be schooled in New Zealand for all their college years, beginning in 2008.

Tupua was awarded an honorary doctorate by St Andrew's University in 2019.

Publications

Tupua wrote three books, and articles in scholarly journals and publications.

Honours

In July 2008, he was made a Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Crown of Tonga, while in Tonga for the coronation of King George Tupou V.

He was awarded the Order of Merit of Samoa in the 2023 Samoa Honours and Awards.

Personal life

Tupua is married to Masiofo Filifilia Imo, who is also known as Masiofo Filifilia Tamasese.