MAKING SAMOA PROUD : Jai Opetaia basking in his boxing success that helps portray a proud image of Samoa as his home heritage.
By Staff Writer
World cruiser weight boxing champion, Jai Opetaia, can include the grateful appreciation of Samoa in the celebration of his popular win in the ring this week.
The proud display of his Samoan heritage, was a huge boost for the image of Samoa after his sensational, title defence knockout win on Wednesday night.
“Our troubled leadership, needs this kind of international image promotion right now,’ Human Rights Protection Party opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, pointed out.
“Opetaia makes all of us Samoans proud with his success as it would too for his home base in Australia,” Tuilaepa added in congratulation.
STRONG SAMOAN HERITAGE : Dwayne ‘The Rock Johnson’ – champion professional wrestler and Hollywood movie star.
The former Prime Minister, has followed the boxer’s career back when he held office and was approached by Opetaia’s backers for Government promotional assistance.
Sporting the traditional Samoan ‘ula fala’ wear into the ring is one of the standout cultural images the champion displays of his home heritage.
“Every time he shows up in the ring with the Samoan flag, it fires up the proud image of Samoa and we welcome that as a blessing,” the opposition HRPP leader continued.
Tuilaepa expressed similar gratitude to all other world famous personalities who attract global attention to their proud Samoan ancestral background.
Champion world professional wrestler and Hollywood movie start Seiuli Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is another notable example.
He is reportedly planning a visit to Samoa, home to his mother and famous grandfather, the late Fanene Peter Maivia, whose footsteps he follows in professional wrestling, and movie acting.
“People like ‘The Rock’ and Opetaia gives all of us Samoans and our homeland in Samoa an image to raise our heads high for.”
Tuilaepa also recognised the influence of the home based talents especially in popular sports where Samoa already basks in the International limelight like rugby and soccer.
But his more pressing concerns lately, is of how the political leadership uncertainties in the country, have left the stable image of Samoa in tatters.
Samoan influential media personalities operating amongst the diaspora in mainly New Zealand and Australia, are seen by Tuilaepa as compounding the problem as well.
“Their biased and misinformed coverage of the issues back in Samoa paints a sad picture of the country in the eyes of the world community.”
Tuilaepa is wishful of more success from the likes of Jai Opetaia, The Rock Johnson and other world renowned personalities with strong Samoan heritage, to wash out the negative image being promoted of Samoa.