George Cakobau
Encyclopedia
Ratu Sir George Kadavulevu Cakobau, GCMG
, GCVO
, OBE
(6 November 1912 –25 November 1989) was Governor General of Fiji
from 1973 to 1983. A great-grandson of Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau
, the King of Bau who had unified all the tribes of Fiji under his reign in the mid-1800s and subsequently ceded the islands to the United Kingdom
in 1874, Ratu Sir George held the traditional titles of Vunivalu of Bau
and Tui Levuka and thus considered by many as Fiji's highest-ranking traditional chief. Ratu Cakobau, was appointed Governor General in 1973, becoming the first indigenous Fijian to serve as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II
.
, then at Newington College
in Australia
(1927–1932) and Wanganui Technical College in Wanganui
, New Zealand
. He became a member of the Great Council of Chiefs
in 1938, where he remained until 1972. When he first joined the Council, it had the power to make laws for the ethnic Fijian
population, but this power was removed towards the end of the colonial
era, as modern political institutions were built.
Ratu Cakobau served with the Fiji Military Forces
in World War II
(1939–1945), rising to the rank of Captain. Following his return to Fiji after the end of the war, he was elected to the Legislative Council
in 1951. He remained a member of this body, which was renamed the House of Representatives
when Fiji became independent in 1970, until his appointment as Governor-General. He served in the Cabinet
, first as Minister for Fijian Affairs and Local Government and subsequently as a minister without portfolio, from 1970 to 1972.
developed following a general election
which gave a narrow majority to the Indo-Fijian dominated National Federation Party
(NFP). Three days after the election, the NFP splintered in a leadership brawl, and Ratu Cakobau, acting as Fiji's effective Head of State, then called on the defeated Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
, to form a new government, pending fresh elections
(which were held in September, and resulted in a landslide win for Mara's Alliance Party
).
In a public statement, Ratu Cakobau defended his actions thus:
"In the recent general election, the people of Fiji did not give a clear mandate to either of the major political parties. It therefore became the duty of the Governor-General under the Constitution to appoint as Prime Minister the Member of the House of Representatives who appeared to him best able to command the support of the majority of the Members of the House. The Governor-General has not been able to act sooner as it was not until this afternoon that he was informed who had been elected leader of the National Federation Party. The Governor-General, after taking all relevant circumstances into account, has come to the firm conclusion that the person best able to command support of the majority of the Members is the Leader of the Alliance Party, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. In compliance with the Constitution and acting in his own deliberate judgment the Governor-General has accordingly appointed Ratu Sir Kamisese as Prime Minister."
Although Cakobau's actions were unquestionably constitutional, they were controversial. Despite the disarray in the NFP, many people, especially in the Indo-Fijian community, were outraged at his role in usurping a popular election, in what many Indo-Fijians saw as a blatant move to protect the privileged position of his fellow Fijian
chiefs, who dominated the Mara government.
, a rare and prestigious honour awarded as a sign of the special relationship between Fiji and the Monarchy, following the visit of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1982. Ratu George was a Freemason.
matches for Fiji during their 1947/48 tour to New Zealand
. Ratu Cakobau made his debut first-class debut against Auckland
and played his fourth and final first-class match on tour against Otago
.
In his four first-class matches Ratu Cakobau scored 176 runs at a batting average
of 25.14, with a single half century score of 67*
coming against Wellington
. With the ball he took 5 wickets at a bowling average
of 52.00, with best figures of 2/48. Additionally he took 3 catches in the field.
During the tour to New Zealand, Ratu Cakobau also played 9 non first-class matches for Fiji, with his final match coming against Hawke's Bay
.
He also played a rugby union
Test match
for Fiji
in 1939, against a New Zealand Maori team at Hamilton
. Fiji won by 10 points, with Cakobau contributing two points, through a conversion.
office and served as her country's High Commissioner
to Malaysia, before being appointed to the Senate
in June 2006. Ratu George Cakobau, Jr.
and Adi Litia Cakobau
also served in the Senators
from 2001 to 2006. His youngest son, Ratu Tanoa Cakobau, was President of the Conservative Alliance
, the junior partner in the ruling coalition
from 2001 to 2006.
Ratu Cakobau retired from office in 1982, but as Fiji's traditional Paramount Chief, he remained influential until his death in 1989.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(6 November 1912 –25 November 1989) was Governor General of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
from 1973 to 1983. A great-grandson of Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau
Seru Epenisa Cakobau
Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau was a Fijian Ratu and warlord who united part of Fiji's warring tribes under his leadership, establishing a united Fijian kingdom.-Background:...
, the King of Bau who had unified all the tribes of Fiji under his reign in the mid-1800s and subsequently ceded the islands to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1874, Ratu Sir George held the traditional titles of Vunivalu of Bau
Vunivalu of Bau
Turaga na Vunivalu ni Bau is the Paramount Chief of the Kubuna Confederacy, loosely translated the title means Warlord of Bau or Root of War. The succession to the title does not follow primogeniture, but the candidate must be a high ranking member of the Tui Kaba clan.-A brief history:The...
and Tui Levuka and thus considered by many as Fiji's highest-ranking traditional chief. Ratu Cakobau, was appointed Governor General in 1973, becoming the first indigenous Fijian to serve as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.
Education and early career
Ratu Cakobau was educated first at Fiji's Queen Victoria SchoolQueen Victoria School (Fiji)
Queen Victoria School is a school in Fiji, established in 1906.The school was originally established in Nasinu to provide education to the sons of Fijian Chiefs...
, then at Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(1927–1932) and Wanganui Technical College in Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He became a member of the Great Council of Chiefs
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
in 1938, where he remained until 1972. When he first joined the Council, it had the power to make laws for the ethnic Fijian
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
population, but this power was removed towards the end of the colonial
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
era, as modern political institutions were built.
Ratu Cakobau served with the Fiji Military Forces
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1939–1945), rising to the rank of Captain. Following his return to Fiji after the end of the war, he was elected to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
in 1951. He remained a member of this body, which was renamed the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
when Fiji became independent in 1970, until his appointment as Governor-General. He served in the Cabinet
Cabinet (Fiji)
Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...
, first as Minister for Fijian Affairs and Local Government and subsequently as a minister without portfolio, from 1970 to 1972.
Governor-General of Fiji
One significant event marked Ratu Cakobau's tenure as Governor-General. In March 1977, a constitutional crisisFiji constitutional crisis of 1977
Fiji's parliamentary election of March 1977 precipitated a constitutional crisis, which was the first major challenge to the country's democratic institutions since independence in 1970....
developed following a general election
Fiji election of 1977 (March)
General elections were held in Fiji between 19 March and 2 April 1977. A split in the ethnic Fijian vote, which saw 25 percent defecting to Fijian Nationalist Party of Sakeasi Butadroka, an extremist organization which advocated the "repatriation" of Indo-Fijians to India, led to the narrow defeat...
which gave a narrow majority to the Indo-Fijian dominated National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
(NFP). Three days after the election, the NFP splintered in a leadership brawl, and Ratu Cakobau, acting as Fiji's effective Head of State, then called on the defeated Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
Kamisese Mara
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992...
, to form a new government, pending fresh elections
Fiji election of 1977 (September)
Early general elections were held in Fiji between 17 and 24 September 1977, following the impasse of an earlier election that had been held in March...
(which were held in September, and resulted in a landslide win for Mara's Alliance Party
Fijian Alliance
The Alliance Party, was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987. Founded in the early 1960s, its leader was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the founding father of the modern Fijian nation...
).
In a public statement, Ratu Cakobau defended his actions thus:
"In the recent general election, the people of Fiji did not give a clear mandate to either of the major political parties. It therefore became the duty of the Governor-General under the Constitution to appoint as Prime Minister the Member of the House of Representatives who appeared to him best able to command the support of the majority of the Members of the House. The Governor-General has not been able to act sooner as it was not until this afternoon that he was informed who had been elected leader of the National Federation Party. The Governor-General, after taking all relevant circumstances into account, has come to the firm conclusion that the person best able to command support of the majority of the Members is the Leader of the Alliance Party, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. In compliance with the Constitution and acting in his own deliberate judgment the Governor-General has accordingly appointed Ratu Sir Kamisese as Prime Minister."
Although Cakobau's actions were unquestionably constitutional, they were controversial. Despite the disarray in the NFP, many people, especially in the Indo-Fijian community, were outraged at his role in usurping a popular election, in what many Indo-Fijians saw as a blatant move to protect the privileged position of his fellow Fijian
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
chiefs, who dominated the Mara government.
Honours
Ratu Cakobau was decorated with many honours during his lifetime. Among these was Royal Victorian ChainRoyal Victorian Chain
The Royal Victorian Chain is an award, instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the Monarch...
, a rare and prestigious honour awarded as a sign of the special relationship between Fiji and the Monarchy, following the visit of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1982. Ratu George was a Freemason.
Sport
Ratu Cakobau played four first-classFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches for Fiji during their 1947/48 tour to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Ratu Cakobau made his debut first-class debut against Auckland
Auckland Aces
The Auckland domestic cricket team represent the Auckland region and are one of six New Zealand domestic first class cricket teams. Governed by the Auckland Cricket Association they are the most successful side having won 26 Plunket Shield titles, eight Domestic One Day Championships and the HRV...
and played his fourth and final first-class match on tour against Otago
Otago Volts
The Otago Volts are a first class cricket team representing the Otago Cricket Association, one of six major associations that make up New Zealand Cricket....
.
In his four first-class matches Ratu Cakobau scored 176 runs at a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 25.14, with a single half century score of 67*
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
coming against Wellington
Wellington Firebirds
The Wellington Firebirds are one of six New Zealand first-class cricket teams that make up New Zealand Cricket.It is based in Wellington. It competes in the State Championship first class competition, the State Shield domestic one day competition and the State Twenty20 Cricket Tournament.The...
. With the ball he took 5 wickets at a bowling average
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
of 52.00, with best figures of 2/48. Additionally he took 3 catches in the field.
During the tour to New Zealand, Ratu Cakobau also played 9 non first-class matches for Fiji, with his final match coming against Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay cricket team
A Hawke's Bay cricket team, representing Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand, played first-class cricket between 1883–84 and 1920–21, competing in the Plunket Shield in the 1914-15 and 1920–21 seasons...
.
He also played a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Test match
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
for Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
in 1939, against a New Zealand Maori team at Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
. Fiji won by 10 points, with Cakobau contributing two points, through a conversion.
Personal life and legacy
Ratu Cakobau was married twice, first to Adi Veniana Gavoka, then to Lady Lelea Seruwaia Balekiwai. Several of his children have distinguished themselves in public service. Adi Samanunu Talakuli has held CabinetCabinet (Fiji)
Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...
office and served as her country's High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to Malaysia, before being appointed to the Senate
Senate (Fiji)
The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers; it may not initiate legislation, but may amend or veto it. The Senate's powers over financial bills are more restricted: it may veto them in their entirety, but may not amend them...
in June 2006. Ratu George Cakobau, Jr.
George Cakobau, Jr.
Ratu George Cakobau, Jr., also known as Ratu Jioji Cakobau, is a Fijian chief and political leader. The son of the late Governor-General, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, who was also the Vunivalu of Bau...
and Adi Litia Cakobau
Litia Cakobau
Adi Litia Qalirea Cakobau is a Bau high Fijian Chief and political leader. Cakobau, the daughter of the late Ratu Sir George Cakobau, who was Fiji's Governor-General from 1973 to 1983, was appointed to the Senate in 2001 as one of nine nominees of the Fijian government...
also served in the Senators
Senate (Fiji)
The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers; it may not initiate legislation, but may amend or veto it. The Senate's powers over financial bills are more restricted: it may veto them in their entirety, but may not amend them...
from 2001 to 2006. His youngest son, Ratu Tanoa Cakobau, was President of the Conservative Alliance
Conservative Alliance (Fiji)
The Conservative Alliance was a far-right political party in Fiji, and a member of the ruling coalition government. It was commonly known as the CAMV, a combination of the initials of its English and Fijian names...
, the junior partner in the ruling coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
from 2001 to 2006.
Ratu Cakobau retired from office in 1982, but as Fiji's traditional Paramount Chief, he remained influential until his death in 1989.
External links
- Ratu George Cakobau a Freemason
- George Cakobau at CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
- George Cakobau at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
- Scrum: George Cakobau