He later became one of the first generation of Hawaiians to receive a western education at the Lahainaluna Seminary from the Christian missionaries who arrived in Hawaii in 1820.

Shortly after Kānehoa's death in 1851, he succeeded as Governor of Maui, although the position was not officially confirmed until the following year on December 3, 1852.

[13] On February 12, 1874, for the second time in Hawaiian history, a special session of the legislature was called to elect a new monarch, and Nahaolelua was chosen again as the President of the Legislative Assembly.

[15] The subsequent announcement caused a riot at the courthouse as Emmaite supporters attacked and beat the native legislators who had voted for Kalākaua.

[17] After the accession of Kalākaua, Nahaolelua resigned the Governorship of Maui and was appointed to the new monarch's cabinet as Minister of Finance on February 17, 1874.

However, due to failing health, he resigned the post on October 31, 1874, and returned to his residence in Lahaina, on the island of Maui.

[1][2][19][20] Under the Hawaiian tradition of hānai, they adopted Edward George Huakini (better known simply as "Kia"), the son of Helekunihi's brother Aki and Kaʻaiohelo.

[2] Kia married Elizabeth Kahele Manawaola St. John (1852–1909), who served as lady-in-waiting to Queen Liliuokalani and accompanied her to Washington, DC during her 1897 trip to protest American annexation of Hawaii.