Foreign Affairs Minister Sakiasi Ditoka has paid tribute to the late Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, describing him as a rare “bridge-builder” whose willingness to bring divided groups together helped steer Fiji through some of its most difficult moments. In a social media post, Mr Ditoka said Ratu Epeli was “one of those persons whom God appoints to bridge a painful gap” and praised his readiness to step into fraught situations when others would not.
Ditoka said the lesson of Ratu Epeli’s leadership is that national progress often depends on people prepared to foster dialogue and reconciliation rather than waiting for perfect solutions. “History teaches us that civilized nations do not move forward because every old grievance is perfectly resolved… They move forward because somebody has the courage and discipline to make former enemies sit side by side long enough for normalcy to return,” he wrote, recalling how Ratu Epeli did not flinch from that difficult work.
The minister’s remarks also referenced warnings recently voiced by Chief Justice Salesi Temo about the dangers of hastily altering constitutional arrangements. “It would be potentially disastrous to tamper carelessly with constitutional arrangements… They are safeguards against national relapse,” Ditoka wrote, citing Temo’s concerns as a reason for caution in any debate over Fiji’s governance structures. By linking Temo’s legal warning to Ratu Epeli’s practice of building consensus, Ditoka framed the late chief’s approach as both practical and protective of institutional stability.
Ditoka further highlighted the historical role of traditional institutions such as the Great Council of Chiefs in forging compromises during earlier constitutional transitions. He said those involved in past settlements recognised that “a wounded nation sometimes survives not by satisfying every moral demand at once, but by making difficult accommodations in order to preserve the country.” That, he argued, was the context in which leaders like Ratu Epeli operated — making space for normal civic life to resume even amid lingering grievances.
Ratu Epeli, a former president and widely respected chiefly statesman, was remembered by Ditoka for his capacity to calm tensions and create the conditions for people to “begin feeling comfortable, human, and normal again.” “Ratu Epeli understood deeply that sometimes the nation needs a bridge before it can build a road,” the minister said, urging contemporary leaders to emulate that patience and bridge-building instinct.
Ditoka’s tribute comes amid renewed public attention to questions about leadership, constitutional change and national unity. His comments underscore a continuing debate over how Fiji should balance reforms with the need to maintain social cohesion and the institutions that underpin it. By holding up Ratu Epeli’s example, the minister sought to remind political actors that reconciliation and steady leadership remain central to preserving the country’s stability.
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