Apisalome Bai Seru, a distinguished alumnus of the prestigious Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS), has made significant strides as an officer in the Royal Navy. As RKS celebrates its 100th anniversary with a week-long event, Apisalome shared his journey with The Sunday Times. He hails from Nabaitavo village in the Naitasiri highlands and has family ties to Yavuloa in Nadroga. Married to Kesaia from Nakeleyaga village in the Lau group, they are the proud parents of six.
Apisalome’s pursuit of success began during his formative years at RKS, where he joined in 1987. At that time, RKS had about 450 students, and he fondly remembers principal Mr. Amraiya Naidu. He chose to study arts, focusing on accounting and economics, and excelled in sports, particularly rugby. He played a crucial role in the school’s under-15 team that won the 1988 Deans competition and was part of the under-16 and under-17 teams that also triumphed in subsequent years.
Facing academic challenges, Apisalome had to leave RKS to resit his Fiji School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) at Ratu Sukuna Memorial School, where he also captained the under-19 rugby team in 1992. After returning to RKS to continue his studies in automotive engineering, he helped the under-19 team win the Deans trophy. In his final year at RKS in 1993, he was appointed head boy, a role that came with increased responsibility as student numbers had surged to over a thousand.
After graduating, Apisalome worked as a trainee engineer at the Fiji Marine Department until he joined the Fiji Navy in 2000. Describing his Navy years as some of the best of his life, he played rugby and represented the naval team. However, he longed to serve overseas and joined the Royal Navy in the UK in 2003, where he has now served for 21 years. Currently, he works as a naval engineer on HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Apisalome advises the youth, especially those at RKS, to focus on their academic achievements and strive for excellence. He emphasizes that while sports foster discipline, academic success must be a priority. He attributes his inspiration to his faith in God, believing that faith plays a vital role in achieving success in life.