Bishop Frederick Drandua - TUALU

While in Pokea Seminary, Drandua continued with his spirit of responsibility,
commitment to hard work and service. He was liked very much by his fellow
Seminarians because he became concerned about their welfare. He was made a
head prefect and he did quite a good job with the students 43 . With them he
engaged in clearing the bush, uprooting trees, cultivating the fields, planting food
crops and trees for the new Seminary. They laid and burnt bricks for the
constructions and so on, besides their academic and spiritual formation.
Fr. Raphael Dellagiacoma, a Comboni Missionary, by then Vice Rector of Pokea
Seminary, had this to express:
Frederick was really a practical boy. He was hardworking
and many boys gathered around him. They saw him as their
leader 44 .
Bishop Frederick recalls, that in his secondary education he was taught all the
subjects meant for ‘O’ level syllabus including Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
Geography, English, Latin and Bible Studies. He liked English and History. He
came to like Mathematics which was Algebra, Geometry and Arithmetic because
of constant practice with his close friend late Fr. Gerry Uyuru. He further recalls,
that when he was in senior three, his Rector made him teach Mathematics in
senior one due to lack of teachers 45 .
Fr. Antonio Lasalandra, a Comboni Missionary, by then Rector of Pokea
Seminary from 1961-67, had this to say about Drandua:
He was a hard worker, had the will to do things. He was
average in class and in sports but was keen at work. He
was a serious young man, taking things seriously and was
very firm. So we recommended him to go ahead 46 .
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