A man who had his hand in almost every aspect of American Samoa’s journey towards self government, HC Aumoeualogo Teo Joe Fuavai, has passed away.
Family members confirmed that Aumoeualogo died peacefully in Seattle, Washington yesterday. He was 82.
Aumoeualogo is a former Senator, former House Speaker and faipule, was Commissioner of Public Safety, a Director of Public Works, President of the American Samoa Rubgy Union and chairman of the Catholic Diocesan Council.
Most recently he was an advisor to Senate President Gaoteote Palaie .
The late Governor Uifaatali Peter Coleman gave Aumoeualogo the nickname Tiger, and his associates at the time said that it was because of his fighting spirit and no nonsense style.
During his tenure as Commissioner he used to sport Idi Amin style attire for Flag Day ceremonies.
As Commissioner he married the Samoan culture with police work and one of the famous stories about Te’o was his leadership of a police raid in Leone which rounded up several suspects of a certain family without any firearms being used or any physical altercation.
As a senator and faipule he was an outspoken lawmaker and didn’t mince words especially in criticizing administration policies.
He was also a long time president of the American Samoa Rugby Union and was at the helm when the local Union was made a member of the world governing body of rugby, World Rugby.
Aumoeualogo was also a former leader of the Catholic Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago and he and his late wife Fatuiva were active in building Catholic schools and churches.
We express our sincere condolences to his children and family on the passing of a great man.
