This Father’s Day will be remembered by the Mualia family for a very special reason.

Yesterday at Salesatele, Falealili, the head of the Mualia family and Member of the Council of Deputies, Le Mamea Ropati Mualia, was bestowed the paramount chiefly title of Tapusatele.

The Malae-ole-talu was a place of celebration and traditional formalities where the family, villagers, and guests from all over Samoa gathered to celebrate the occasion.

For the new holder of the Tapusatele title, all this was made possible by the provision of God Almighty.

“I want to thank God for his guidance upon each and every one of us especially my family in Samoa, families from overseas and my family in Salesatele, Falealili,” Tapusatele Ropati said.

“It’s an honour for me to receive this calling from God through my family to serve to the best of my abilities with love and respect.”

The ceremony yesterday was the culmination of years of hard work to find the right person to occupy the seat of Tapusatele.

“I sincerely want to thank my families for entrusting me with this role.”

He said the concept of tautua is all about ”love, respect and peace.”

“Families must stay in harmony and that’s the main function of our calling in our families,” he added.

 “I’ll do my best to keep all members of the family together.”

Tapusatele Ropati added that he must put his trust in the Lord.

 “The glory must be returned unto God,” he said.

Village Mayor and High Chief of Salesatele Falealili, Leleimalefaga Ne’emia, congratulated the new titleholder.

“Today, it’s all about giving thanks to God for making it all possible,” he said.

 “To Tapusatele Le Mamea Ropati Mualia, from the village and the whole district of Falealili, May God continue to bless you.”

The new titleholder was blessed by Rev. Pu’a Aumua and Rev. Momoe Gagaeolo of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Salesatele and Si’uniu.

Tapusatele Ropati, a Pharmacist by profession, has had a colourful career.

He is a Deacon, Lay Preacher and also the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Congregational Christian Church in Samoa.

He is also a Samoan politician, Cabinet member, and former Leader of the Opposition.

Tapusatele represented the territorial constituency of Lefaga and Falese'ela between 1979 and 1987, and again since 1991.

In 1982 he served as Minister of Lands Survey, Post Office and Broadcasting. He subsequently served as Minister of Education, Youth, Sports & Cultural Affairs and Labour in the government of Tofilau Eti Alesana. Between 2001 and 2006, he was Leader of the Opposition Samoa Democratic United Party.

On 31 August 2006 Ropati was betrayed as leader of the SDUP in favour of Asiata Sale’imoa Va’ai. He subsequently left the party, resulting in the party failing to stay together and later crumbling down.

In February 2010 Ropati revealed he had been asked by his village to run as a candidate for the Human Rights Protection Party. He has also been approached by the Tautua Samoa Party. He is the former Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agriculture Store as a part of the HRPP government of Samoa.

In the lead up to the closure of the 2015 Parliamentary sitting, Tapusatele Le Mamea Ropati Mualia was unanimously elected to the Council of Deputies with the Hon. Tuiloma Pule Lameko, as Deputy Head of State.

He has seven children with Masiofo Maiava Elisa Mualia. He is 72.