Soccer officials and fans held a national hero’s funeral for former Fiji captain Josaia Tubuna in Ba. Featured on the front page of The Fiji Times on August 6, 1984, were images of Tubuna’s wife, Rebeka, alongside their five-year-old son, Manasa.
Tubuna tragically lost his life in a road accident near Ba just two days earlier when the vehicle he was in collided with a fully loaded, parked cane lorry. His teammates, Inia Bola and Semi Tabaiwalu, suffered serious injuries in the incident and were reported to be in stable condition at Lautoka Hospital. Bola had been unconscious since the accident but regained consciousness on August 5.
Dr. Michael Oldmeadow, a physician at the hospital, confirmed that both Bola and Tabaiwalu were no longer in critical condition, though they would remain hospitalized for some time. The details of their injuries were withheld until their families had been informed.
The driver of the van, Solomone Ukitu, 23, from Tavua, stated that he did not see the cane truck until it was too late. Ukitu explained that he had driven Tubuna, Tabaiwalu, Bola, and Kaminieli Tora from Tavua to Ba at around midnight, with Tubuna seated by the window and Bola in the middle. The accident occurred in Varavu, where he said the parked truck had no lights on, making it difficult to see until it was too late to avoid a collision.
Ukitu added that Tubuna and Bola were asleep at the time of the crash, and due to Inia shifting toward him during the impact, he narrowly escaped serious injury when the van hit the truck. Tubuna died instantly when the cabin on the left side of the van collapsed.
Local farmers who witnessed the aftermath helped extract the injured from the wreckage, while the brother of the van’s owner rushed Ukitu and the passengers to the hospital.
The Fiji Football Association anticipated Tubuna’s funeral would be one of the largest for the sport, with FFA president Hari Pal Singh leading a delegation of national executives. Former Fiji manager Chandra Dip Sharma, who was closely acquainted with Tubuna, was also expected to attend, along with an estimated crowd of 7,000 at the Ba stadium.
Former national coach Sashi Singh remarked on Tubuna’s fierce presence on the field, noting that he was respected and well-liked among peers. Representatives from various districts, along with Ba players and members from Tubuna’s club side, Moto-Sarava, were set to form a guard of honor at the stadium.
Tubuna’s body left Lautoka Hospital at 8 AM for his father’s home before proceeding to Ba Stadium at 9:30 AM. Family members continued to Naidrodro for Catholic funeral rites before the casket was placed in state at the stadium.
During the ceremony at the stadium, tributes were paid by the then Ba Mayor Kishor Govind, Hari Pal Singh, and Ba manager Vinod Patel. The funeral procession departed for Naidrodro Cemetery around 1:30 PM, where the final prayers and rituals took place.
Most funeral expenses were covered by the Ba Soccer Association, while the FFA provided the casket. The local community initiated a trust fund for Tubuna’s son Manasa and a child Rebeka Tubuna was expecting.