Five years ago, later came knocking.

A referendum backed by the United Nations — and funded by the US and other Western powers — asked Bougainvilleans: Would you like independence?

About 98% voted yes.

Toroama has been busy ever since. Elected president in 2020, he is determined to found a nation-state that will forever ensure that this island’s inhabitants rule themselves — as did their ancestors for eons.

Achieving this requires detaching from Papua New Guinea. At some point, its lawmakers will decide whether to honor the referendum and let Bougainville go. Fewer than half would likely vote to turn the island loose, according to Luther Wenge, a prominent Papua New Guinean parliamentarian and provincial governor.