Semesa Koroikilai Sikivou,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(1917 – 1990) was a

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

an academic, politician, and diplomat.

Education and career

Sikivou graduated from

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

, and went on to become the first Fijian to acquire a post graduate degree from the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

. He taught at Suva Methodist Primary School in the 1930s and among his students was the future

ombudsman An ombudsman ( , also ) is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament (often with a sign ...

of Fiji, Sir Moti Tikaram.

Lelean Memorial School

Towards the end of 1942, at the height of the Pacific Campaign of the Second World War, the Colonial Authority was issued a command to close all urban schools and surrender their compounds to the military, to be used as military camps for the war campaign against the Japanese threat. At that time, a notable missionary teacher by the name of Mr. William Earnest Donnelly, was serving as principal of Toorak Boys’ School. Whilst other overseas teachers immediately left Fiji to await the end of the war, the determined missionary principal, Mr. Donnelly sent a circular to all members of the senior classes of Classes Six, Seven, and Eight of Toorak Boys School, inviting volunteers to come away with him, to continue their education. After consultation with the heads of the Methodist Church, he was given permission to use the principal’s residence at the Davuilevu Technical School. As a result, he and 50 volunteers from Toorak Boys School in Suva, met at the principal’s residence on 3 March 1943. Their first classrooms were the two master bedrooms in the house and the long verandah on the eastern side as their library. There were only two classes and two teachers; the late Mssrs. W.E. Donnelly and Semesa Sikivou. In the 1943 Methodist Church Annual Conference, Mr. Donnelly was given permission to expand his classes along the same ridge and as a result, the boys themselves, with his and Semesa Sikivou's guidance, built three large bures, where the teachers staff quarters presently stand. He was also directed to name the new school, Lelean Memorial School, in memory of a long serving and beloved missionary in Fiji, the Reverend Charles Oswald Lelean. Rev Lelean was an Australian missionary who served in Fiji for 36 years. Amongst his students were Rusiate Nayacakalou, who later became the first South Pacific Islander to graduate with a PhD and Jimione Samisoni who became the first Fijian to become the dean of the

Fiji School of Medicine The Fiji School of Medicine is a tertiary institution based in Suva, Fiji. Originally established in 1885 as the ''Suva Medical School''. FSM became the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences as part of Fiji National University in 2010. It ...

Political career

Sikivou served as a member of the

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

in the 1960s, and in January 1963 he was one of eight to sign the Wakaya Letter, which affirmed the principles of Fijian paramountcy. When Fiji gained its independence from the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in 1970, he was appointed Fiji's first

Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, serving until 1976. He reentered

politics Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

in the 1980s, and served as Minister for Foreign Affairs. In the 1972 New Year Honours List he was appointed a CBE. Sikivou was offered a

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

, but declined it, saying that it was his honour to serve her without remuneration.

Personal life

Sikivou, who hailed from Rewa Province, belonged to the tribe of the Roko Tui Dreketi's ''Guardians of the Spirit and the Wise Counsel,'' and as such was a member of the traditional court of the Paramount Chief of the Burebasaga Confederacy. He had strong ties to the Provinces of Namosi, Naitasiri, and Verata. He was married twice, first to Seini Ratuvou of the Vutia District of Rewa, with whom he had one daughter, Ateca (who died of

asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...

at the age of one) and three sons: Navitalai, Rokocanini, and Metuisela Sikivou. His second marriage was to Salote Tabuanitoga of Kadavu Island. With her he had two sons: Jese and Mosese, and a daughter, Vasiti Sikivou-Waqa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sikivou, Semesa 1917 births 1990 deaths Alliance Party (Fiji) politicians Alumni of the London School of Economics University of Auckland alumni Permanent representatives of Fiji to the United Nations Ministers for foreign affairs of Fiji I-Taukei Fijian members of the Legislative Council of Fiji Politicians from Rewa Province 20th-century Fijian educators Fijian expatriates in New Zealand Commanders_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire