Josefa Iloilo

Ratu Josefa Iloilo Uluivuda MBE (* December 29, 1920; † 6 February 2011) from 2000 to 2009, the President of Fiji. He wore the traditional title of Tui Vuda of the High Chief of the Vuda District in the west of Fiji.

Career

He was vice president under Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, when the government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry was overthrown in a coup led by nationalists led by George Speight on 29 May 2000. After the hostage crisis ended in July, he was appointed president.

He was initially regarded as a stooge of the military, but had by now earned the respect of the different political factions and ethnic groups, by trying to always find a compromise supported by all. He refused also starting to intervene directly in the conflict between politicians, and was able to even disaffected factions, such as the Indo- Fijian community, achieve. He is admired for having persuaded the military to return to some semblance of democracy again in 2001.

Iloilo was a lay preacher of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma in 1997 and 1998 and was its vice- president.

In a military coup on 5 December 2006 Ratu Josefa Iloilo was overthrown. On 3 January 2007, the military returned power to the President. Ratu Josefa Iloilo sat alerted the military chief Frank Bainimarama as head of a transitional government. On 10 April 2009, he suspended the constitution, and dismissed all judges. Previously, an appeals court had declared the government from 2006 to be illegal. In August 2009, he resigned as president.