Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi

Tupua was born on 1 March 1938 at Motoʻotua in Samoa. He is the son of Samoa's first co-head of state (O le Ao o le Malo), Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole (1905–1963), and Irene Gustava Noue Nelson, of Samoan, Swedish and British descent. Tupua attended primary school at the Marist Brothers School at Mulivai in the Samoan capital of Apia. He continued his education at St. Patrick's College in Silverstream, Wellington, New Zealand. He was also educated at Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand's capital city. ==Prime Minister of Samoa==

Tupua began his political career in May 1965, when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Vaisigano No. 1 constituency. He served as Samoa's Minister of Works from 1970 until 1972. It was during his second term as prime minister that the Public Service Association went on a general strike in 1981, paralysing the country for several months and paving the way for the opposition Human Rights Protection Party's entry to government in 1982. The party would go on to hold power until 2021. Tupua became Leader of the Opposition following his Christian Democratic Party's election defeat in 1982. He also headed the Samoan National Development Party. He continued to serve Anoamaʻa East as MP until 2004 when he was appointed to Samoa's Council of Deputies alongside Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II. == Tupua Tamasese title ==

Upon Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV's death in 1983, the question as to a successor was raised with Tupuola Efi staking his claim. However, this would require ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao agreeing to his appointment. Salani agreed, however Falefa and Lufilufi opposed it. Tupuola Efi proceeded without the unanimous support of ʻĀiga Sā Fenunuivao. On the morning of his installation ceremony, the nation's public broadcaster, Radio 2AP, read an announcement from the family's matua, Moeono Alaiʻasā Kolio, notifying the country that both Falefa and Lufilufi had not sanctioned Tufuga Efi's ascension to the title, nullifying the candidate's grasp for the title once again. ==O le Ao o le Malo==

On 11 May 2007, following the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoa's head of state since independence in 1962, Tupua assumed the functions of acting head of state with Tuimalealiʻifano, as members of the Council of Deputies. He was sworn into office on 20 June 2007. He was re-elected in July 2012 by a majority vote of the Legislative Assembly. However, he was not re-appointed as of 20 July 2017 after a controversial move by the Prime Minister which saw a legislative assembly vote of 23 to 15. This was after an initial vote that was taken, which saw the tamaʻāiga gain the majority of support from the ruling HRPP caucus. This was seen as but a mere formality and that Tui Ātua would again be elected to office to serve as Head of State. However, owing to decades of tension with the then-Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi, Tui Ātua was instead replaced in a backroom vote by another tamaʻāiga, Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II. In December 2024 he was reappointed to the Council of Deputies. He was sworn in in January 2025. ==Academia==

Tupua held a number of academic positions during and after his political career as an MP and prime minister. Tupua served as an adjunct professor for Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in New Zealand. In late 2007 Tupua established an overseas boarding school scholarship to St. Patrick's College, Silverstream, which allows one student per year to live and be schooled in New Zealand for all their college years, beginning in 2008. Tupua was awarded an honorary doctorate by St Andrew's University in 2019. ==Publications==

Tupua wrote three books, and articles in scholarly journals and publications. ==Honours==

In July 2008 while attending the coronation of George Tupou V of Tonga he was made a Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Crown of Tonga. He was awarded the Order of Merit of Samoa in the 2023 Samoa Honours and Awards. == Personal life ==

Tupua is married to Masiofo Filifilia Imo, who is also known as Masiofo Filifilia Tamasese. ==Ancestry==