President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere may have been the first chief in Fiji to be installed without the traditional yaqona ceremony.
Instead, he was installed with holy oil and prayers which chief maker and Taukei Namara Ratu Peni Sogia said was done according to biblical teachings of how kings were ordained with oil.
The chiefly installation carried out in 2013 at Naduri Village baffled other traditional leaders around the country who saw the absence of kava as an unusual tradition.
But for Ratu Peni, who is a pastor of a Pentecostal church in the village, his covenant with God remained paramount thus the use of oil at the chiefly installation.
“Until today, I believe the appointment of Ratu Wiliame as the President of Fiji was an appointment made by God through the Government,” he said.
“For me, my covenant with God will remain forever even if chiefs and traditional leaders criticise me for not doing the full yaqona traditional ceremony at the installation in 2013.
“The Word of God in the book of 2 Samuel 7:8 says that ‘as the anointed representative of the Lord, the Judean king was seen by Old Testament writers as a mediator of the covenant between the Lord and his people, and Ratu Wiliame sits there for this purpose.
“I believe his installation in which we used oil to anoint him goes with God’s Word and God alone promoted him to this post.”
Ratu Peni said a lot of chiefs called to question him about using only oil and not kava.
“I told them straight that my covenant with God is far important than using kava and if I am involved in any installation ceremony, there will be no kava used.”
Ratu Wiliame was inaugurated as the sixth and new President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands for a term of three years at the State House on Friday, November 12.
He succeeds Jioji Konrote who was sworn into office in 2015 and again for a second term in 2018.
The Macuata chief was nominated by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama for President on October 21, 2021.
He accepted the nomination in which Parliament convened the next day to vote on the presidency.
Ratu Wiliame Katonivere garnered 28 votes defeating his contender SODELPA MP Teimumu Kepa.
Ratu Wiliame Katonivere fact file
- Ratu Ilisoni Dakuneicei of Naduri Village, Macuata married Timaima Tirilase of Visoqo Namuka.
- Their son – Ratu Sepesa Soso Katonivere married Adi Samanunu Boteiviwa (her parents, mum Vulumaina Marama of Galoa, Kadavu and
dad Lepani Vaniqi of Waisa Kubulau, Bua. - This couple had seven children – Asenaca Vuibau, Adi Senimili Katonivere, Ratu Joji Katonivere, Ratu Aisea Katonivere, Adi Samanunu Katonivere, Adi Vilimaina Katonivere, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.
