Bob Dadae

His Excellency Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae GCL GCMG KStJ
Dadae in 2019
10th Governor-General of Papua New Guinea
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 February 2017
Monarchs	Elizabeth II Charles III
Prime Minister	Peter O'Neill James Marape
Preceded by	Theo Zurenuoc (acting)
Personal details
Born	(1961-03-08) 8 March 1961 (age 63) Morobe Province, Territory of Papua and New Guinea
Political party	United Party (until 2012) People's National Congress (2012–present)
Spouses	Hannah Dadae ​ ​ (m. 1989; died 2018)​ Emeline Tufi Folau ​ (m. 2020)​
Alma mater	University of Papua New Guinea (BCom) Griffith University (MBA)

Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae GCL GCMG KStJ (born 8 March 1961)^[1] is a Papua New Guinean politician currently serving as the tenth governor-general of Papua New Guinea since 2017.

Education and early career

Dadae was educated at the Ombo Lutheran Agency in Derim and the Bugandi High School, before completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Papua New Guinea (1988) and Master of Business Administration degree from Griffith University (1995). Prior to his election to parliament, he was an accountant for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea and a board member of the Christian Press publishing house.^[2]

Political career

Dadae was elected to the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea at the 2002 election as the United Party member for Kabwum Open, becoming the party's deputy leader after the election. He became Deputy Speaker in 2004. He was again re-elected at the 2007 election, and served as Minister for Defence under Michael Somare from 2007 to 2011. He crossed to the People's National Congress after Somare's 2011 ouster, and was re-elected under that banner at the 2012 election.^[2]

Governor-General of Papua New Guinea

Badae accepting credentials from US Ambassador Erin E. McKee at Government House, 2019

Dadae assumed office as the tenth governor-general of Papua New Guinea on 28 February 2017, succeeding Michael Ogio.^[3]

He was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George on 5 May 2017.^[4] He was appointed to the Order of St John on 18 August 2017.^[5]

Dadae was nominated to run for a second term as Governor-General in December 2022 alongside Winnie Kiap and Stephen Pokawin.^[6] Dadae won the election and retained his viceregal position and was sworn in on 16 March 2023.^[7]

Personal life

Sir Bob and Lady Emeline Dadae with Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor-General of New Zealand and Richard Davies, in London, 2022

Dadae married Hannah Dadae on 14 January 1989, and they had five children. Lady Hannah Dadae died from a short illness on 4 December 2018 in Brisbane, Australia.^[8][9]

Bob Dadae married Emeline Tufi Folau, a Tongan woman, on 11 January 2020.^[10][11]

References

1. "Index Da". www.rulers.org.
2. "Hon. Bob Dadae, MP". Parliament of Papua New Guinea. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
3. Kisselpar, Joy (1 February 2017). "Bob Dadae named next Governor-General of Papua New Guinea". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
4. "No. 61920". The London Gazette. 5 May 2017. p. 9404.
5. "No. 62028". The London Gazette. 18 August 2017. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2849611
6. "Race for head of state". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
7. Governor-General Sworn In
8. Mrs Dadae pledges to support husband
9. Lady Hannah Dadae succumbs to illness
10. PNG governor general marries young Tongan woman
11. New wife of GG officially welcomed

Government offices
Preceded by Theo Zurenuoc (acting)	Governor General of Papua New Guinea 2017–present	Incumbent