PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guinea’s first prime minister and “father of the nation” Sir Michael Somare died on Friday after what his family described as a brief battle with cancer. He was 84.

Known across the country simply as “The Chief”, Somare led Papua New Guinea at independence from Australia in 1975 and was prime minister for a total of 17 years, during three separate terms. “Our nation honours this Great Leader,” Prime Minister James Marape said in a statement, calling for “a week of silence, peace and calm” to pay respect to “this one person whom our country owes much”. “He is unmatched by anyone of us who comes after him.”

Somare was only diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early February and was admitted to hospital a week ago, his daughter Betha Somare said in a statement.

For decades, Somare was the dominant political figure in the mountainous island nation and his death is expected to unleash an emotional outpouring.

He only stepped back from politics in 2017, after 49 years as a member of parliament.