Afoafouvale Leulumoega Suesu’e Lutu who has served as senator, House representative, Attorney General, private attorney, and directed a review of the American Samoa constitution passed away last Friday, December 15, in Loma Linda, California. He was 76.
As news of his passing spread friends, relatives and associates reminisced about a man who has left his mark in many sectors of American Samoa.
Senate President Tuaolo Fruean, who was a classmate of Afoa in the Class of 1965 at the High School of American Samoa, said Afoa was one of the proverbial pigeons (Lupe o le Foaga) sent out to attain knowledge and return home to serve.
He recalled that after Afoa attained his law degree and returned home, he set up his first law office upstairs in the Lumanai Building. “It was a small room with just a desk and chair, no stationary, no Xerox machine.” Tuaolo, who was then in his second term as a House Representative, said he would get paper from the Fono to be used in the law office.
“I never let him forget I was the one who helped him start his law office,” said Tuaolo. “I have countless stories about my dear friend,” he commented. “I miss him so much.”
Afoa obtained his Bachelors degree in political science and a minor in pre-law from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He completed his juris doctor degree from Valparaiso University School of Law.
Upon returning home, Afoa first worked in the Attorney General’s Office before setting up his private practice which became one of the top law firms in the territory.
One of Afoa’s famous cases is the Malaeimi Land case where the US Supreme Court upheld a decision of the High Court of American Samoa that the LDS Church could not own communal land in Malaeimi.
Afoa served twice as Attorney General of American Samoa under the Lutali Faleomavaega administration, and then under the Lolo Lemanu government. He stepped down during his second term as AG to take up the Mauputasi seat in the Senate. During his term as AG under Lutali, he was a member of the US delegation that negotiated the first US South Pacific Tuna Treaty.
Afoa made three attempts to become Governor in the gubernatorial elections of 2004, 2008 and 2012.
He was also a Lt. Governor running mate to Lealafuaneva Peter Reid in 1996 and 2000.
Other positions that Afoa held were Director of the American Samoa Constitutional Convention in 2010 and member of the House of Representatives.
In 2019, his family publicly acknowledged that Afoa was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Every November, the organization that Afoa and his wife Etenauga established, ABLE ( Agency for Better Living Endeavors) holds events for National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.
Christinna Lutu-Sanchez, the eldest of Afoa and Etenauga Lutu’s 10 children, said most of the children were there with him this past week until he passed. As well as siblings and the rest of the children, grandchildren and families from all over held a zoom vigil, singing, crying and laughing together with him in his last days.
She said, “We, Afoa and Ete’s children, grands and greats are deeply saddened that mom and dad are no longer physically with us, but we are at peace that they are together and with our Lord. They were inseparable and our dad grew more and more sad and his health status declined rapidly since our mom passed.”
Mrs. Lutu passed away this past October.
KHJ News extends deepest sympathy on the passing of a great man.
