| The King of Samoa, Malietoa Tanumafili II, passes on to the Abhá Kingdom
|
The King of Samoa, Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Head of State of Western Samoa, an island located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, died in the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital, at 8:20 pm on Saturday, May 9, 2007, at age 94. Tanumafili II was the first head of state to become a member of the Bahá’í Faith and was one of the longest living monarchs in the world. He completed his university studies in New Zealand, served as a member of the Governing Council and a United Nations diplomat, and in 1962 became joint head of state of Western Samoa. Tanumafili II was Samoa’s Head of State for 45 years. He was bestowed knighthood in the Order of Saint Michael and George with the ranking of Great Cross and Queen Elizabeth II appointed him as an honorary commander of the order of the British Empire. In 1963, upon death of the other (shared) head of state, he became Western Samoa’s sole ruler until the time of his own passing. In accordance with the Samoan Constitution, even though Tanumafili II was head of state for life, his successor will now be appointed by Parliament, with a ruling mandate limited to one five-year term In 1979 King Malietoa Tanumafili II placed the cornerstone for the Bahá’í House of Worship in the city of Apia, Samoa, the construction of which was finalized in 1984. King Malietoa Tanumafili II became a Bahá’í on May 7, 1973 – an event which the Universal House of Justice declared could only be understood in the course of centuries to come. The King learned of the Bahá’í Faith through Hand of the Cause of God Ugo Giachery who presented him with the book The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh which deeply moved his heart. |
|