The District of Tuamasaga which consists of five sub-districts of the Malietoa paramount title in Samoa have agreed that the traditional protocols of the bestowal of the title were not followed and therefore the granting of the title was invalid.
The decision was unanimous and announced during a meeting of the Tuamasaga district over the week-end.
The son of the late head of state, Fa'amausili Moli Malietoa, was bestowed with the title last month, but several sub-districts of Tuamasaga did not support the decision.
Two other branches of the extended Malietoa family have also sought to stop the bestowal of the title through petitions filed in the Lands and Titles court before the ceremony on the 16th June.
Chief orators during the meeting last Friday agreed to await a court decision where the dispute over the paramount title has been referred to by heirs of Malietoa Natuitasina and Malietoa Talavou.
