State funeral for Fiji's former president
![Ratu Josefa Iloilo became president in 2000 after his predecessor was deposed in a coup. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200904/r358948_1653966.jpg "Ratu Josefa Iloilo became president in 2000 after his predecessor was deposed in a coup. [ABC]")
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Ratu Josefa Iloilo became president in 2000 after his predecessor was deposed in a coup. [ABC]
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Thousands of people are expected to attend today's state funeral of former Fiji president Ratu Josefa Iloilo.
Ratu Josefa died following a long illness.
He became president in 2000 after his predecessor was deposed in a coup.
Ratu Josefa was forced out of office by Commodore Frank Bainimarama in the 2006 military coup, but was restored to the presidency a month later.
He served as president until mid-2009, when he stepped down due to ill health.
New chief
A new chief will be appointed in the Western Fijian village of Viseisei to replace the Ratu Josefa.
Matai Akuola, from the Fiji Brodcasting Corporation, says in the village of Viseisei it is the custom for the new Chief to be appointed the day after the funeral.
"It's unique here in the Visesei, where when a chief dies his successor is installed the following day," he said.
"That's very rare in Fiji, and it's something significant about this village of Visesei in Vadu."
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