my beloved friend and partner, yaqoub yousef khaled al-ghunaim, the brother of my dear friend sarah and her sisters, passed away a few days ago in london.
he was laid to rest on saturday morning at sulaibikhat cemetery, at the age of 84.
al-ghunaim (abu yousef) was born in 1939 and embraced the philosophy of abu al-‘ala al-ma‘arri: a simple life without marriage or children.
he attended the industrial college before becoming an army officer and undergoing training in britain.
from that time on, his love for britain grew.
when he became british, he very nearly half a century later returned to kuwait only three or four times, mainly to offer condolences to family and loved ones.
in the mid-1960s, he was seconded to military duties in egypt, where he witnessed the wars of 1967 and 1973.
later, he accepted an early retirement offer, leaving kuwait to settle in london.
ever since that time, he lived there for decades, having no need for the hustle and bustle of kuwait or allowing it to consume his spirit.
it was a beautiful summer day in 1985 when my lifelong friend, yaqoub al-abaan, introduced me to yaqoub al-ghunaim.
at the time, he was a former army officer and the owner of a real estate office in london’s west end.
i was searching for a house for one of george’s sons, and he generously offered me space in his office and hospitality for free.
he insisted on not accepting any payment, a gesture of loyalty i will never forget.
one day, al-ghunaim invited me to join him in acquiring a luxurious four-story building, including basement space, in a famous location.
the property had once been the private residence of the portman family, a wealthy and prominent jewish family that had later relocated outside britain.
the building was demolished, and the entire area is now known as the famous portman estate, including portman square, the famous selfridges and churchill hotels, the former branches of the national bank of kuwait and the national bank of jordan, and other elegant buildings.
al-ghunaim chose for himself an office between george street and cloister street, while i took the new opportunity to rent and work nearby at the same time.
we held family celebrations, traveled, and celebrated small and big events together.
he was always generous and sociable, holding his gatherings in his office for over 150 years old.
every detail of the building was perfect and carefully preserved, while external repairs had to be made without approval from the relevant authorities.
al-ghunaim loved the arts, philosophy, and economics.
he was well-versed in philosophical and economic thought, constantly immersed in books, and stood by his friends in difficult times.
he was honest, steadfast, and committed to his principles.
he had an impeccable circle of friends, possessed a deep understanding of the human psyche, and lived authentically.
his unique character during that era in london, especially in the 1980s, became a pillar of support for his circle.
he was cheerful, amusing, and wise during the long hours we shared together.
he was a horse-racing enthusiast, fascinated by the schedules of races and their details.
he could recall names and events from the history of each horse and jockey.
he was well-versed in astrology, often giving sound advice or tips on the odds of winning.
among our shared interests, al-ghunaim was a special, gifted, unique individual.
he loved all who knew him, and in my autobiography, i have modestly called him “my bohemian friend.”
we extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the al-ghunaim, al-ghanim, and al-qatami families.