The Samoan Constitution a colonial legacy to degrade the Samoan Nation.

The two most salient points has arisen with the appointment process of the Samoan Head of State. Firstly, as a legacy of the New Zealand and British Colonial tutelage is the Samoan Constitution which has inadvertently degraded into commonplace the former dyarchical arrangements of the Sa Tupua and the Sa Malietoa royal lineages. Insodoing, the dilution of the royal titles into Royal Highness contesting for the Samoan Head of State renders the dyarchical arrangements meaningless and commonplace. For instance, the Mataafa title is in fact a Malietoa by extension and simply because a descendant of the Sa Pouesi Maota has become a Mataafa simply has splintered the Malietoa royal family to a Pouesi branch within a stand alone Mataafa title. One may argue then, that the Mataafa and most of the past nineteenth century military commanders of the respective Samoan tribal armies are simply Generals of their respective armies and have subsequently become elevated into amalgamated chieftainship subsequently. Needless to say, the Samoan constitution is in essence a parting legacy by the New Zealand government to the Samoan Nation in that it has bequethed a polity devoid of royal families, (apart from a highly contestable papa titles) but a legacy of contestable rival aristocratic class who will forever bicker and fight and will forever become divided and conquered. The Tongan example has also been a product of British and New Zealand intrique and behavioural engineering. The Tongans have a uncontestable Royal family, which was created by the British, more specifically the Weslyan Church Missionaries. The Weslyans were the Kingmakers. Samoa being arrogant refused to consolidate this system and subsequently feuded amongst themselves much to the delight of the British and New Zealanders who in turn detested the Samoans by denying them a military branch and by incorporating a constitution in which Samoans will never have a royal monarch forever. Secondly, it is the ultimate cutting the head of the snake scenario for a race. Here is the relevant Samoan constitutional clause with reference to the Samoan head of state
PART III
THE HEAD OF STATE
16. O le Ao o le Malo - There shall be a Head of State of Samoa to be known as O le Ao
o le Malo.
17. Repealed by clause (5)
Article 17 ceased to be in force on the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II on the 11th
day of May 2007 pursuant to clause (5).
18. Election of Head of State - (1) The Head of State shall be elected by the Legislative
Assembly under the provisions of the First Schedule.
(2) A person shall not be qualified to be elected to the office of Head of State:
(a) If he is not a person qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament; or
(b) If he does not possess such other qualifications as the Legislative Assembly may
determine from time to time by resolution; or
(c) If he has previously been removed from the office of Head of State under the
provisions of clause (2) of Article 21.
(3) The validity of the election of the Head of State shall not be contested in any Court.
19. Term of office of Head of State - (1) Subject to the provisions of Articles 17 and 21,
the Head of State shall hold office for a term of 5 years from the date on which he
assumes the functions of his office:
PROVIDED THAT, notwithstanding the expiry of his term, he shall continue to hold
office until his successor assumes the functions of his office or for a period of 3 months,
whichever is the shorter period.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, a person who holds, or who has held,
office as Head of State, shall be eligible for re-election to that office.
(3) An election to fill a vacancy in the office of Head of State caused by the death,
resignation or removal of the Head of State or by the expiry of the term of his office shall
be held under the provisions of the First Schedule, and, subject to the provisions of this
Constitution, the person elected to that office shall hold office for a term of 5 years from
the date on which he assumes the functions of his office.

Source:
Radio New Zealand, http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/334479/new-head-of-state-for-samoa