When the time came to choose the Ao o le Malo (head of state) in 1962, Malietoa Tanumafili's 23 years as one of the four chiefs made him an obvious choice, but the other three were not excluded: one shared Malietoa's job, one became prime minister and one was appointed to the Council of Deputies, a sort of collective deputy head of state.

ECONOMIST: Malietoa Tanumafili II