‘One Day Mafatu’ Now A Reality For 26-Year-Old

From ‘one day mafatu’ to walking out of the courtroom in the presence of families as a lawyer, 26-year-old Merelita Seru Naqera achieved her goal of 17 years.

Merelita Seru Nagera was overwhelmed after she was admitted to the Bar at the High Court in Suva on Friday.

Achieving her goal became a reality, Ms Nagera and her family had sacrificed a lot.

The eldest of four siblings said after many years of hard work, she was overjoyed and emotional to finally reach her goal.

“Ever since I was eight years old, I dreamed of becoming a lawyer,” Ms Nagera said.

“That time, when I would wait outside my mother’s office after school, I would see a woman wearing black and white attire and walk across my mother’s office at the Government Buildings.

“To my curiosity, I asked my mother why that woman wore a black and white attire every day. And my mother responded that she was a lawyer and just like how I wear a uniform to school, she had to wear that attire to come to court.

“I used to admire that woman every time I saw her carrying herself, her posture.

“So, I told myself ‘one-day mafatu’ (one day I will reach there), I will be like her,” she said.

Ms Nagera said for the past 17 years, she pushed herself, and even though it took longer than expected, she finished it and made her family proud.

She said she did not let anything stop her from achieving her goal of becoming her family’s first lawyer.

“I am the first lawyer in both my parents’ families.Being a female and being the eldest in the family, it was a really hard thing.

“There were relatives who were eager to see the downfall, but instead I took it as a challenge and pushed myself.

“My younger sister is also a law student at the University of Fiji.

“Achieving my goal was to show my parents that their sacrifices and words of advice did not fall on deaf ears,” Ms Nagera said.