The Great Couple The Saqqafs Abdulaziz & Aziza [Archives:2001/03/Focus]

Nageeb M.Yabli
The civil community in Yemen along with specific global quarters were shocked on the 20th of Dec. 2000 by the demise Aziz Al-Saqqaf, wife of the late Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Saqqaf, one of the most renowned opinion makers.
Patriot Abdulaziz and Aziza Al-Saqqaf were great by all measures, as both were forced a status for them not by the strength of tribe and not induced by wealth nor threatened by the thick stick. Let us eleborate each case separately.
Patriot Professor Abdul Aziz Al-Saqqaf lived for 48 years, full of hard struggle. He qualified himself from primary to doctorate in a community plagued by illiteracy and dictatorship. He gave scholarly lectures in public finance to his students in Sanaa University.
The great Abdulaziz established the beloved and widely circulated Yemen Times an act which both governments of Peoples Democratic Republic (PDRY) and the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) failed to do. The same failure applies to Republic of Yemens government. Although a precedence was marked by the late patriot Mohammed Ali Bashraheel in his weekly the Recorder, and late patriot Mohammed Ali Luqman in his weekly Aden Chronicle. Both were published in Aden during the golden days of the British administration. Yemen Times served as a medium enlightening the local and foreign communities with the Yemeni state of affairs based on black and white.
Yemen Times served as a free forum for a range of opinions. It opened wide channels with organization of the civil community and world organizations operating in the field of development and human rights issues. The latest reform patriot Abdulaziz fought hard for the Emerging Democracies Forum to beheld in Yemen. That is in a nutshell some facts about Patriot Abdulaziz.
Late patriot Aziza Al-Saqqaf lived for 48 years, full of supreme missions. She came from Al-Hadharem, in Taiz to Sanaa. She joined her husband in the U.S.A. (1978) who was preparing for his Ph.D. By then she had a dual-task: caring for her husband and children and managing her high-school education. In 1985, she completed her B.A. (English Department), from Sanaa University. She successfully managed a one- year Humphury program. She then started her career in English Language teaching. Late Aziza led a multi-faceted rich life. Late Aziza belonged to the tradition of her predecessors Um Saleh Luqman, Saeeda Bashraheel, Radhya Ihsan Allah, Malica Nageeb.. etc., who all fought for the cause of civil community in Aden before independence.
Her sons and daughters, (Walid, Nadia, Haifa and Raydan) are smart graduates, which is a clear evidence of their upbringing.
Commenting on the demise of her mother, her daughter Nadia said : It seems that she (Aziza) missed my father a lot, and it was that they meet again soon. This is quite apropriate. Indeed, you have conveyd my sentiments.
To the sons and daughters, of Abdulaziz and Aziza Al-Saqqaf; do emulate the unique ideals of your great parents.
Let us fight together for the sake of their lofty tasks. trust, the Almighty God will be there in our defense.
May Allah shower His generous mercy on their souls! Amen!

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