Sairusi Nabogibogi, the self-made emperor of Nakorotubu in Ra and the man worshipped by his followers as ‘the messiah’, died quietly at his birth village of Nakawakawa in Bua.
His death was reported in The Fiji Times on Monday, November 17, 1980. Mr Nabogibogi, 48, was an ex-convict and politician.
While Suva police knew nothing about his death, Nabouwalu police knew about his demise four days after he died and carried out their investigation.
“During his young days, Mr Nabogibogi became notorious in Fiji when he was the subject of the largest ever manhunt in the country after he escaped from prison and remained at large for about 11 months,” The Fiji Times noted.
He served 15 years in prison for burglary and his escape was the talk of the nation. Some regarded him with terror, some with hatred, while others held him in awe and admiration.
While at large in 1960, Mr Nabogibogi wrote letters to the then editor of the vernacular weekly newspaper called “Na Vakalelewa ni Pasifika”, Sam Berwick.
In his letters, Mr Nabogibogi used to pass on information to the administrators of the day and his views on their leadership. He expressed his personal views on how Fiji should be governed.
In an interview with Sarita Singh of tThe Fiji Times in March 1977, Mr Nabogibogi said he had written the story of his escape from gaol in Fijian but would not find a publisher.
He said he was going to call it “My Struggle” or “the Great Manhunt Fiji has Ever Known, and maintained that he was not guilty of the charges for which he was gaoled.
Mr Nabogibogi always wore a red cap and often carried a stick. His followers at Selemi recorded every word he uttered and regarded him as a messiah with supernatural powers.
“He imposed a rigorous army-type discipline on his people and inspired them to work hard and become economically self-sufficient.”
After prison, Mr Nabogibogi became a reformed character, he returned to his home district in Ra where he formed a commune of villagers. In politics, he was the founder of the Fijian People’s Conservative Party.
Mr Nabogibogi was educated at Queen Victoria School and later Nasinu Teachers College but was expelled for carrying on a romantic affair.
He then joined the Royal Fiji Military Forces where he was a cadet for six months.
He was a bachelor when he died and had a brother and a sister.
