Tofilau Eti Alesana
Tofilau Eti Alesana (June 4 1924 March 19 1999) was a Samoan politician. He was born in American Samoa to a Samoan upper-class family. As a young man he became a chief. In 1957 he was elected to the legislative council, and in 1958 he became health minister. He helped draft the constitution for the newly independent state of Western Samoa. Alesana helped form the Human Rights Protection Party which won power in 1982. Alesana served as prime minister for the first time from 1982 until 1985 when he was deposed by Parliament with the help of disgruntled members of his own party. He regained control of the party in 1988 and became prime minister. Alesana led the party to almost complete control of the country, with more than a 2/3 majority in the Parliament. He was often accused of having a dictatorial style and for operating a corrupt government. In 1997 Alesana's government changed the country's name from Western Samoa to Samoa. Alesana began to suffer froom health problems in the 1990s, finally resigning in November 1998. He died in Samoa's capital, Apia while still a member of the cabinet. His party still holds power. Alesana was also foreign minister of Samoa from 1984 to 1985 and from 1988 to 1998.
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