Hammer DeRoburt

Sir. Hammer DeRoburt OBE GCMG (25 September 1922 – 15 July 1992) was the founding President of the Republic of Nauru, and ruled the country for most of its first twenty years of independence.

The Honourable Hammer DeRoburt OBE GCMG
Hammer DeRoburt, 1968
1st President of Nauru
In office 31 January 1968 – 22 December 1976
Deputy	Buraro Detudamo
Preceded by	Office Established
Succeeded by	Bernard Dowiyogo
In office 15 May 1978 – 17 September 1986
Deputy	Buraro Detudamo
Preceded by	Lagumot Harris
Succeeded by	Kennan Adeang
In office 1 October 1986 – 12 December 1986
Deputy	Buraro Detudamo
Preceded by	Kennan Adeang
Succeeded by	Kennan Adeang
In office 22 December 1986 – 17 August 1989
Deputy	Buraro Detudamo
Preceded by	Kennan Adeang
Succeeded by	Kenos Aroi
Member of the Nauruan Parliament for Boe
In office 31 January 1968 – 15 July 1992
Preceded by	Constituency Established
Succeeded by	Michael Aroi
Personal details
Born	25 September 1922 Nauru
Died	15 July 1992 (aged 69) Melbourne, Australia

Background and early career

Born 1922, DeRoburt was the grandson of a former Head Chief of Nauru and also had Banaban heritage, as his grandmother was from the island.[1] After being educated on Nauru, he attended the Gordon Institute of Technology in Geelong, Australia.[1] After returning to Nauru, he started working as a teacher.[1]

During Japanese occupation of Nauru he was deported to Truk by the Japanese, along with most of the Nauruan population. When he returned to Nauru in 1946 he started working at the Department of Education.[1] He decided to stand in the first elections to the Local Government Council in 1951, and although he gained enough support to be nominated as a candidate in the Boe constituency, he was disqualified due to irregularities in his nomination.[2] Local residents and European residents protested without success, whilst a petition to the 1953 Visiting Mission from the United Nations was also overlooked.[2]

In 1955 elections he stood again in the Boe constituency and was elected to the Council.[1] In 1956 the Council elected him Head Chief.[2]

Presidency of post-independence Nauru

DeRobert at the Pacific Islands Forum, 5 August 1971, Wellington

DeRoburt led the country to independence on 31 January 1968 and was president for most of the period until 17 August 1989. In December 1976, younger politicians gained a majority and installed Bernard Dowiyogo as president, but DeRoburt returned to power in May 1978. He was also out of office for two short periods in September and December 1986.

Personal

He was given an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1982.

DeRoburt is credited with introducing Australian rules football to Nauru, which became the national sport.

He died in Melbourne in 1992 from diabetes mellitus.

References

1. Nancy Viviani (1970) Nauru: Phosphate and Political Progress Australian National University Press, p. 107
2. Viviani, p108

New title Independence of Nauru	President of Nauru 31 January 1968 – 22 December 1976	Succeeded by Bernard Dowiyogo
Preceded by Lagumot Harris	President of Nauru 15 May 1978 – 17 September 1986	Succeeded by Kennan Adeang
Preceded by Kennan Adeang	President of Nauru 1 October 1986 – December 1986	Succeeded by Kennan Adeang
Preceded by Kennan Adeang	President of Nauru December 1986–17 August 1989	Succeeded by Kenos Aroi