In November 1930 Detudamo was appointed Head Chief of Nauru by Administrator William Augustin Newman following the death of Daimon.

During the Japanese occupation, Detudamo served as Governor of Nauru until 30 June 1943 when he was deported along with most of the Nauruan population to Chuuk in Micronesia.

Following the introduction of a Nauru Local Government Council in 1951 Detudamo was elected as a councillor for the Districts of Denigomodu, Nibok, Uaboe, and Baitsi.

It was called the Nauru Cooperative Society and adopted the name 'Eigigu' in symbolically depicting the Nauruan "Lady on the Moon" legend.

Detudamo died in Sydney in Australia on 11 April 1953 at the age of 65,[5] and was succeeded as Head Chief by Raymond Gadabu.