Mother moved as son’s wall-written goals become reality

Determination, written on his bedroom wall and lived out every day, has carried 14-year-old Nemani Jacob Rokodua to the top of Vunisalusalu Central School as dux of the 2025 academic year.

For the first time since Class 1, the quiet, soft-spoken boy from Korotasere, Cakaudrove, with maternal links to Seavaci, Vaturova, topped his class, securing the highest annual exam mark and leading the Fiji Eighth Year Examination results.

His mother, Diolaca Ranadi, said the achievement moved her deeply.

“My son is a man of few words, tamata galugalu, but he is a hard worker,” she said.

“He always tried, but he would come second or third. This year, something changed — I saw determination in him.”

Mrs Ranadi said Nemani wrote his goals and dreams on his bedroom wall, including his anchor Bible verse, Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

She said seeing his quiet commitment “touched me as a mother.”

Nemani with his family.

One of the toughest sacrifices he made was giving up a place at the Tuckers Ice Cream Games after his father told him that if he wanted to become dux, he needed to stay focused on his studies.

“I knew he was hurt when he was told to forego the trip to Suva,” she said. “But he understood the assignment.”

Despite a highly competitive Year 8 class, Nemani kept a strict routine, studying alone in his room each evening.

Adding to his motivation was a promise from his father: a brand-new bicycle placed in an empty room at home.

He was told he could only ride it if he topped the class.

“He would go into the room and just marvel at the bicycle,” Mrs Ranadi said.

“He knew what he had to do.”

The second of three siblings, Nemani may not have been “the smartest,” she said, but he had something stronger — grit.

“And that is what carried him,” she said. “His determination has made us proud.”