Apisalome Bai Seru, an alumnus of the prestigious Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS), is now a notable officer in the Royal Navy. As the school celebrates its 100th anniversary with a week-long event, Apisalome shared insights into his life and achievements, having traveled from abroad for the festivities.
Originally from the village of Nabaitavo in Naitasiri, he has familial ties to Yavuloa in Nadroga and is married to Kesaia from Kabara in Lau, with whom he has six children. His early years at RKS, which he joined in 1987, were formative in shaping his drive for success. He recalled the smaller student body of about 450 during his initial years under Principal Mr. Amraiya Naidu.
Apisalome pursued arts subjects, excelling in athletics, particularly rugby. He was a key player on the school’s under-15 team that won the 1988 Deans competition and continued to contribute to the under-16 and under-17 teams in subsequent years.
His academic journey faced challenges when he had to leave RKS to resit his Fiji School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) at Ratu Sukuna Memorial School (RSMS), where he also captained the under-19 rugby team. After returning to RKS to study automotive engineering, he helped the under-19 team secure a victory against Suva Grammar.
In his final year at RKS in 1993, he was appointed head boy, overseeing a significantly larger student enrollment of over a thousand. Post-graduation, he began working as a trainee engineer at the Fiji Marine Department and later joined the Fiji Navy in 2000, just after the military coup.
Describing his Navy experience as rewarding, he played rugby and thoroughly enjoyed his service. His ambition led him to apply for the Royal Navy in the UK, where he has been serving for 21 years, currently as a naval engineer on the HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Apisalome encourages today’s youth, particularly those at RKS, to prioritize their academic pursuits while recognizing the value of sports in developing discipline. He emphasizes his faith in God as a guiding influence in his success and encourages others to make faith central in their lives.