'AHO'EITU 'UNUAKI'OTONGA TUKU'AHO

Prince 'Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho' (born 12 July 1959), is the younger brother of King George Tupou V of Tonga and officially confirmed by the latter on 27 September 2006 as the Heir Presumptive to the Tongan throne.^[1]

Contents

Life

Name and titles

Career highlights

Education

References

See also

External links

Life

He was born the third son and youngest child of the late King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV. He started his career in the military, joining the naval arm of the Tonga Defence Services in 1982 and becoming a Lieutenant-Commander in 1987. From 1990 to 1995 he commanded the Pacific-class patrol boat VOEA ''Pangai'' and his time in charge included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville.
In 1998 he ended his military career to became part of the government, first as the defence minister and the foreign minister at the same time, from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Siaosi Tupou V, at that time still the crown prince and as such known as Tupoutoa (see below). Soon he was appointed, 3 January 2000, as the prime minister, a function he kept until his sudden resignation on 11 February 2006, for which the reason has never become clear. Apparently due to the unrest in the country since mid-2005, a series of pro-democracy protests calling for a lesser role for the royal family in government. His appointed successor, Feleti Sevele, is Tonga's first prime minister who is not a hereditary estate holder or a member of the aristocracy (made of 33 noble titles).
Ahoeitu is married with a daughter of the high chief Vaea, Nanasipauu and the couple have 3 children:

★ Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataaho Napuaokalani Tukuaho

★ Siaosi Manumataongo Alaivahamamao Ahoeitu Konstantin Tukuaho (also written as Jiaoji ... Konftantin ...; it is not known whether this is an error or intended. It would make sense if it were ... Konſtantin ... (with the old long ess), but this character is unknown in Tongan, and as such not recognised (at least by any of the Tongan references))

★ Viliami Unuaki-o-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-Mo-e-Eiki Tukuaho

Name and titles

It is customary in Tongan culture that princes get a traditional chiefly title, by which they then are commonly known (and no longer by their baptised name). As such for many years, until his nomination as heir apparent, Ahoeitu was known by either one or all three of the titles which were bestowed on him over the time: 'Lavaka' from Pea, 'Ata' from Kolovai and Atatā, and 'Ulukālala' from Vavau. These titles may be used in any order, (the one belonging to the area from which the speaker is coming usually first). Nevertheless the sequences 'Lavaka Ata Ulukālala' and 'Ulukālala Lavaka Ata' were most common.
Since his nomination as heir apparent, he got the traditional title of Tupoutoa, reserved for crownprinces, which his older brother had to give up, while two of his previous titles went to his sons. As such he is currently known as 'Tupoutoa Lavaka'. His oldest son, Siaosi, is since to be addressed by the prestigeous title of 'Ulukālala', while his second son, Viliami, was bestowed with 'Ata'.

Career highlights

★ 2006 - Resigns unexpectedly as Prime Minister and from his other cabinet posts.

★ 2004 - Minister of Civil Aviation; Minister responsible for Communications; Minister of Defence; Minister of Marine and Ports; Minister of Works and Disaster Relief Activities

★ 2001 - Minister of Civil Aviation & Minister of Communications

★ 2000 - Prime Minister, Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Marine and Ports

★ 1998 - Minister for Foreign Affairs & Defence

★ 1991-1995 - Commander of the Navy, Tonga Defence Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence

Education

★ 1998 - Master of Arts in International Relations, Bond University, Queensland, Australia

★ 1997 - Masters in Defence Studies, University of New South Wales, Australia

★ 1995 - Graduate Diploma of Strategic Studies, Australian Joint Services Staff College, Australia

★ 1988 - Diploma in Strategic Studies, United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

★ 1977 - GCE 'A' Level, The Leys School, Cambridge, UK

References

1. http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/royalty/tupoutoa_lavaka270906.shtml


★ Government Biography

★ Pacific Magazine

★ BBC News

See also

★ Line of succession to the Tongan Throne

★ List of national leaders

External links

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