Who is the head
RATU Epenisa Cakobau is not the traditional head of the Kubuna confederacy.
This, according to Bau chief Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.
He said the head of the Kubuna confederacy was the Vunivalu of Bau, a position that had remained vacant for decades. Ratu Epeli made the comment in a letter to The Fiji Times in response to an article published recently about a Social Democratic Liberal Party tour of the Lomaiviti Province led by Ratu Epenisa. Ratu Epenisa had said he led a tour of the province because he was the head of the Kubuna confederacy.
BAU chief Ratu Epeli Nailatikau says Social Democratic Liberal Party president Ratu Epenisa Cakobau is not the traditional head of the Kubuna confederacy.
He said the head of the Kubuna confederacy was the individual bestowed with the position of Vunivalu of Bau.
“When the Vunivalu has been ceremonially installed by the chiefs of the mataqali Tuikaba and the Vunivalu is fully acknowledged by the chiefs of the Kubuna confederacy, only then the
Vunivalu becomes the head of the Kubuna confederacy,” Ratu Epeli said in a letter to The Fiji Times.
“I speak with good authority as I am the most senior member of the mataqali Tuikaba.”
Ratu Epenisa did not comment when informed of the letter written by Ratu Epeli. He also did not comment on whether he agreed with Ratu Epeli that leadership of the confederacy would come after installation and acceptance by the chiefs.
Ratu Epeli was responding to an article published by this newspaper recently where Ratu Epenisa defended the exclusion of the parliamentarian Peceli Vosanibola from a SODELPA tour of the Lomaiviti Province.
Mr Vosanibola, the party’s provincial representative, was upset he was not informed of the tour which included MP Aseri Radrodro and his wife, Sainiana, and party supporters Bani Kawale and Malakai Vueti.
Ratu Epenisa had said he led the tour because he was the head of the Kubuna confederacy and it was right for him to have led the SODELPA delegation.
Meanwhile, SODELPA leader Viliame Gavoka said he was not in a position to comment as Ratu Epeli was referring to a traditional hierarchy.
“As a party leader, Lomaiviti is a very strong province for SODELPA and Ratu Epenisa’s trip was to strengthen that link,” he said.
“There’s this sense of unity within our people that needs to be strengthened and Ratu Epenisa is doing that very well.
“As I said, he connects very well and he knows his links, he knows his strengths and we are blessed to have him as president of SODELPA.”