Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tuku'aho


The prince Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tukuʻaho was a Tongan political personality, member of the royal family, and holder of the Tuʻipelehake prince title, one of the thirty three titles of the Tongan hereditary nobility.

Title and Family

His father, the Prince Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake, held the Tuʻipelehake title until his death in 1999. He then returned to the prince Sione ʻUluvalu Ngu Takeivulai Tukuʻaho, his son, nephew of the King Taufaʻahau Tupou IV. The prince died in a car crash in the United States in July 2006, and his brother Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tukuʻaho inherited his title. He is the seventh title holder since its institution in the 19th century.
He was married four times. In 1983 he married a commoner, Mele Vikatolia Faletau, accepting in order to renounce to the prince title. They had two children. His fourth marriage, in January 2011, followed the divorce of his third wife, ʻEneʻio Tatafu. He then married Fifita Holeva Tuʻihaʻangana, from a noble family, Lord Tuʻihaʻangana's sister.

Education

Mailefihi completed his studies at Queensland Agricultural College, where he obtained a Certificate of International Affairs, and finally a graduation in port and naval administration et navale at the Institute of Science and Technology at Wales University.

Military, administrative and political career

He briefly served in the Tonga Defence Services from 1979 to 1981. He was the Military Liaison Officer at the Foreign Affairs Ministry from 1980 to 1981. From 1986 to 1992, he was the Director of the Navy Department.
In April 2009, at request of the Prime Minister Feleti Sevele, the King George Tupou V named him Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. He held this position from 30 April 2009 to 4 January 2011, when the recently appointed Prime Minister, Lord Tuʻivakano, appointed Lord Vaea to that ministry.

Sports career

Mailefihi was a high level sportsman, being captain of the Tonga national rugby sevens team in the late 1970s. It was that team which won the golden medal at the 1979 Pacific Games in Suva, defeating Fiji, the host country, in the final. He was also the Tonga national rugby union team head coach during the 1987 Rugby World Cup.

Death

Suffering from diabetes since several years, and after suffering an amputation of both legs due to this reason, he was hospitalised again on the Beginning of June 2014 and died in hospital on 14 June.