SAMOA: World's Oldest Leader Dies at Age 94

WELLINGTON (Agence France Presse), May 12, 2007: The world's oldest national leader, Samoan head of state Malietoa Tanumafili II, has died in hospital aged 94, the samoanews.com website reported Sunday. Malietoa, who was also the world's third-longest serving head of state after the King of Thailand and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, was one of two high chiefs jointly appointed to lead Samoa on independence in 1962. He held the post alone for 44 years following the death of his colleague Tupua Tamasese in 1963. Malietoa passed away Saturday night at the Tupua Tamasese National Hospital in Apia, friends were quoted as saying. His death was announced on national television by Samoa's secretary of state. A spokesman for the Samoan Council in Wellington, Tino Pereira, described Malietoa as a founding father of Samoan independence. Although Malietoa was appointed head of state for life, his successor will be selected by the legislature for a five-year term.