'Aho'eitu 'Unuaki'otonga Tuku'aho

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Prince Ahoeitu Unuakiotonga Tukuaho (born 12 July 1959), is the younger brother of King George Tupou V of Tonga and officially confirmed by the latter on 27 September 2006 as the Heir Presumptive to the Tongan throne.

Life

He was born the third son and youngest child of the late King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV. He started his career in the military, joining the naval arm of the Tonga Defence Services in 1982 and becoming a Lieutenant-Commander in 1987. From 1990 to 1995 he commanded the Pacific-class patrol boat VOEA Pangai and his time in charge included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville.

In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as the defence minister and the foreign minister at the same time, from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Siaosi Tupou V, at that time still the crown prince and as such known as Tupoutoa (see below). Soon he was appointed on 3 January 2000, as the prime minister, a function he kept until his sudden resignation on 11 February 2006, for which the reason has never become clear, but was most likely due to the unrest in the country since mid-2005, a series of pro-democracy protests calling for a lesser role for the royal family in government. His appointed successor, Feleti Sevele, is Tonga's first prime minister who is not a hereditary estate holder or a member of the aristocracy (made of 33 noble titles). Ahoeitu is married with a daughter of the high chief Vaea, Nanasipauu and the couple has 3 children:

Angelika Lātūfuipeka Halaevalu Mataaho Napuaokalani Tukuaho
Siaosi Manumataongo Alaivahamamao Ahoeitu Konstantin Tukuaho (also written as Jiaoji ... Konftantin ...; it is not known whether this is an error or intended. It would make sense if it were ... Konſtantin ... (with the old long ess), but this character is unknown in Tongan, and as such not recognised (at least by any of the Tongan references))
Viliami Unuaki-o-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-Mo-e-Eiki Tukuaho

Name and titles

It is customary in Tongan culture that princes get a traditional chiefly title, by which they then are commonly known (and no longer by their baptised name). As such for many years, until his nomination as heir apparent, Ahoeitu was known by either one or all three of the titles which were bestowed on him over the time: Lavaka from Pea, Ata from Kolovai and Atatā, and Ulukālala from Vavau. These titles may be used in any order, (the one belonging to the area from which the speaker is coming usually first). Nevertheless the sequences Lavaka Ata Ulukālala and Ulukālala Lavaka Ata were most common.

Since his nomination as heir apparent, he got the traditional title of Tupoutoa, reserved for crown princes, which his older brother (the second) had to give up because he married a commoner, while two of his previous titles went to his sons. As such he is currently known as Tupoutoa Lavaka. His oldest son, Siaosi, is to be addressed by the prestigious title of Ulukālala, while his second son, Viliami, was bestowed with Ata.

Since his resignation from politics ʻAhoʻeitu lives a quite secluded life, barely, if any at all, coming into the limelight or even touching the newspapers.

Career highlights

2006 - Resigns unexpectedly as Prime Minister and from his other cabinet posts.
2004 - Minister of Civil Aviation; Minister responsible for Communications; Minister of Defence; Minister of Marine and Ports; Minister of Works and Disaster Relief Activities
2001 - Minister of Civil Aviation & Minister of Communications
2000 - Prime Minister, Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Marine and Ports
1998 - Minister for Foreign Affairs & Defence
1991-1995 - Commander of the Navy, Tonga Defence Services, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence

Education

1998 - Master of Arts in International Relations, Bond University, Queensland, Australia
1997 - Masters in Defence Studies, University of New South Wales, Australia
1995 - Graduate Diploma of Strategic Studies, Australian Joint Services Staff College, Australia
1988 - Diploma in Strategic Studies, United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
1977 - GCE 'A' Level, The Leys School, Cambridge, UK

References

External links

Prince Ulukalala Lavaka Ata at the Internet Movie Database

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Last updated on Sunday July 13, 2008 at 04:22:52 PDT (GMT -0700)
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