Epenisa Cakobau
Fijian chief
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ratu Epenisa Seru Cakobau (pronounced [ðakomˈbau]) (born ~1959 or 1960) is a Fijian chief[2] and politician. Cakobau is a senior member of the Tui Kaba clan. He is the 13th Vunivalu of Bau.
Epenisa Cakobau | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the Fijian Parliament for Tailevu South Lomaiviti | |
| In office 15 May 1999 – 1 September 2001 | |
| Preceded by | None (constituency established) |
| Succeeded by | Asenaca Caucau |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 or 1960 (age 65–66)[1] |
| Party | Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei Conservative Alliance-Matanitu Vanua Social Democratic Liberal Party |
Biography
He is the son of former Governor-General of Fiji and Vunivalu Ratu Sir George Cakobau, and a great-great grandson of Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the warlord who established the first unified Fiji and became its king in 1871.[1]
Cakobau has been involved in politics; he was elected to the House of Representatives of Fiji in the 1999 Fijian general election as a candidate of the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT), representing the open constituency of Tailevu South Lomaiviti.[3] When the Conservative Alliance, a nationalistic political party was founded in 2001, Cakobau was chosen as its first president.[4] In 2007 when the military regime suspended the Great Council of Chiefs in the aftermath of the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, Cakobau was part of a legal challenge to the suspension.[5] He later opposed the military regime's People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress.[6]
In 2018, he was arrested to prevent a ceremony to install him as the Vunivalu of Bau.[7][8] In July 2019 he revealed that he had relocated his family overseas after receiving death threats over the title.[9]
In July 2020, he was elected president of the Social Democratic Liberal Party.[10][11] He remained with SODELPA when Sitiveni Rabuka split from the party.[12] His term as president expired in 2022,[13] and he was replaced by Manoa Roragaca.[14]
In March 2023, he was installed as Vunivalu of Bau.[15]