Paula Niukula
| Paula Niukula | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Nationality |
 Fiji |
| Born |
April 1937 Dobuilevu |
| Died | 1996 (aged 58–59) |
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.
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 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.
Career
Rev. Niukula worked with the Bible translation project into modern Fijian at Davuilevu and was posted to Suva 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.
See also
Church involvement in Fiji Coups