Paula Niukula
Encyclopedia
Reverend Paula Nayala Niukula (born April 1937 in Dobuilevu, died in 1996) was a minister of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
in Bemana, Ruwailevu, Nadroga, Fiji
.
He attended Lelean Memorial School
in Davuilevu
and went on to Davuilevu Theological College. Niukula taught at Nasoso, Macuata and later completed a Bachelors of Divinity
degree in India
till 1966.
In 1967 he married school teacher Sainimere Waqatairewa Nasau also a daughter of a Methodist Minister the late Reverend Sakaraia Nasau of Muanaicake, Vutia, Rewa.
to be the Conference Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji in 1969. In 1970 he became the first Fijian Principal of Davuilevu Theological College. Upon furthering his studies, he was the recipient of the first Masters degree to be given by the University of the South Pacific
in 1977.
Rev. Niukula joined the Pacific conference of churches and worked as secretary. In 1979 he was elected to be the Connexional Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji which later became general secretary. He was the President of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma from 1984 to 1986.
Rev Niukula studied further in Los Angeles
, USA in 1987. His last Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma posting was to be the Superintendent of the Vuda district from 1988 to 1990.
He spoke out and became heavily involved in writing and standing up against the un-Christian way that he saw the Methodist Church involving itself in the 1987 military coups in Fiji. The associated actions that occurred in the same year and that appeared to be condoned if not openly supported by the Methodist Church were the controversial Sunday roadblocks and temple desecrations. It seemed that coup sympathizers within the church were trying to steer the church towards more involvement in politics and Niukula was very prominent in voicing his opposition to it.
This did not sit well with the new church leaders who had forcibly taken over the leadership of the Methodist Church from the then President of the Methodist Church, Rev Josateki Koroi and who were now in the church's head office. Rev Niukula's fate as far as his involvement in the church was concerned was quite clear. Niukula's career in the Methodist church ended prematurely but he became a champion of democracy and racial tolerance in Fiji.
It was also at this time that he founded the Fiji Council of Churches Research Group, which later became known as the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA). Rev Niukula was also involved in the setting up of the Citizens Constitutional Forum (CCF) and Inter-Faith Fiji.
Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, with 36.2 percent of the total population at the 1996 census...
in Bemana, Ruwailevu, Nadroga, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
.
Early life
Reverend Paula Niukula was born on April 1937 in Dobuilevu, Ra where his father the late Ratu Epeli Niukula was stationed as an Agricultural officer.He attended Lelean Memorial School
Lelean Memorial School
Lelean Memorial School is one of the largest co-ed schools in Fiji today. It was established in 1943 and is run by the Methodist Church of Fiji. It is co-located at the Davuilevu Methodist Compound with the and the Young People's Department, which runs training for Methodist catechists...
in Davuilevu
Davuilevu
Davuilevu, the name of the site upon which three Methodist Church of Fiji institutions are located, can be translated as "the large conch shell"....
and went on to Davuilevu Theological College. Niukula taught at Nasoso, Macuata and later completed a Bachelors of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
till 1966.
In 1967 he married school teacher Sainimere Waqatairewa Nasau also a daughter of a Methodist Minister the late Reverend Sakaraia Nasau of Muanaicake, Vutia, Rewa.
Career
Rev. Niukula worked with the Bible translation project into modern Fijian at Davuilevu and was posted to SuvaSuva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
to be the Conference Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji in 1969. In 1970 he became the first Fijian Principal of Davuilevu Theological College. Upon furthering his studies, he was the recipient of the first Masters degree to be given by the University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
in 1977.
Rev. Niukula joined the Pacific conference of churches and worked as secretary. In 1979 he was elected to be the Connexional Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji which later became general secretary. He was the President of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma from 1984 to 1986.
Rev Niukula studied further in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, USA in 1987. His last Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma posting was to be the Superintendent of the Vuda district from 1988 to 1990.
He spoke out and became heavily involved in writing and standing up against the un-Christian way that he saw the Methodist Church involving itself in the 1987 military coups in Fiji. The associated actions that occurred in the same year and that appeared to be condoned if not openly supported by the Methodist Church were the controversial Sunday roadblocks and temple desecrations. It seemed that coup sympathizers within the church were trying to steer the church towards more involvement in politics and Niukula was very prominent in voicing his opposition to it.
This did not sit well with the new church leaders who had forcibly taken over the leadership of the Methodist Church from the then President of the Methodist Church, Rev Josateki Koroi and who were now in the church's head office. Rev Niukula's fate as far as his involvement in the church was concerned was quite clear. Niukula's career in the Methodist church ended prematurely but he became a champion of democracy and racial tolerance in Fiji.
It was also at this time that he founded the Fiji Council of Churches Research Group, which later became known as the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA). Rev Niukula was also involved in the setting up of the Citizens Constitutional Forum (CCF) and Inter-Faith Fiji.