Latest: Yesterday morning in Suva, hundreds of Fijians fell silent as the flag-draped casket of Ratu Epeli Nailatikau made its final journey through the capital. The cortege left the Colonial War Memorial Hospital morgue at slightly after 6.30am, the coffin mounted on a gun carriage and accompanied by marching soldiers and a military band whose somber music punctuated an otherwise reverent hush.
The procession moved slowly and deliberately through downtown Suva, the usual noise of the city giving way to what witnesses described as a “spell of hallowed silence.” Along Mark, Usher and Scott streets, ordinary Fijians gathered with bowed heads; some sat on the dusty pavement while others wept as the entourage passed. The measured tread of soldiers’ feet and the plaintive strains of the band were the only sounds to break the quiet, underscoring the solemnity of the occasion.
As the cortege turned onto Victoria Parade, many onlookers appeared to reflect not only on the moment but on Ratu Epeli’s long public life. He served at the highest levels of national service — including as Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Speaker of Parliament, diplomat and President — and was widely respected for his leadership during pivotal moments in the nation’s recent history. Those who lined the route said the sight of his casket moving through streets he once walked felt deeply personal.
Organisers and spectators noted that the streets the cortege traversed were places Ratu Epeli frequented as a private citizen. In life he was known for a casual approach to the trappings of office: declining protective guards to move freely among people, visiting banks and supermarkets, getting his shoes shined at the QBE Building and even socialising at local venues such as Grants Betting Ltd. Those memories framed much of the emotion on display, as residents recalled a leader who often seemed one of them.
The procession concluded at Government House, the official residence of Fiji’s Head of State, where Ratu Epeli’s body was placed lying in State. The ceremonies there marked a dignified pause in national life, allowing the public, dignitaries and service personnel to pay respects. The laying in State is the latest public formal recognition of the esteem in which he was held across different communities.
The funeral yesterday represents the current chapter in national observances for Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, whose decades of service cut across military, parliamentary and diplomatic spheres. For many who gathered along the route, the silence and the scenes of grief and remembrance were a testament to a leader remembered as both dignified and approachable — a public servant whose presence on Suva’s streets was as familiar as his place in the nation’s institutions.
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