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Mon, Jan 06, 2025 | Rajab 6, 1446 | DXB
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50 years in UAE: Expat reminisces life from movie ticket collector to general manager
A neighbour who worked in Abu Dhabi helped B Abdul Jabbar secure his visa, setting the stage for his life-changing move to the UAE on June 14, 1974
- By
- Zenifer Khaleel
Photos: Supplied
In 1974, at just 19 years old, Indian expat B Abdul Jabbar embarked on his remarkable journey in the UAE, starting as a ticket collector at Abu Dhabi’s El Dorado Cinema. At the time, it was the city’s only covered theatre and a popular gathering spot for the diverse communities of India, Pakistan, and the Arab world, all coming together to enjoy Hindi cinema.
“The theatre was always buzzing, especially when a Dilip Kumar movie was playing,” Jabbar told Khaleej Times.
What began as a modest job in a bustling cinema would eventually lead to a career spanning five decades. Today, at 70, Jabbar is still actively working as the general manager of the wholesale division at Baniyas Spike Group, where he works six days a week and has no plans to retire soon.
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Jabbar's first entry stamp in UAE
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his three children and three grandchildren, all living in the UAE. Dedicated to his health, Jabbar also maintains a daily routine of walking for nearly an hour and a half.
Rooted in simplicity
Born in 1955 at his ancestral home on Thayyil-Kuruva Road in Kannur, Kerala, Jabbar’s early years were rooted in simplicity. After completing his education up to the seventh grade at St Antony’s Thayyil, he went on to attend high Chovva High School.
A neighbour who worked in Abu Dhabi helped Jabbar secure his visa, setting the stage for his life-changing move to the UAE on June 14, 1974. “It was a different time,” Jabbar recalled. “Back then, if you took a basic typing course, you could secure a decent job.”
Travelling from Kannur to Mangalore, then to Bombay, he boarded the Dhumrah boat —the preferred vessel for expats from Kerala — to Dubai. After a brief stay in Dubai, Jabbar eventually settled in Abu Dhabi, the city he would call home for the next 50 years.
In 1976, after his short stint as a ticket collector and various other odd jobs, Jabbar joined Al Majid General Company as a clerk. Run by Emirati brothers Hilal and Abdullah Majid Al Muheiry, the company evolved from dealing in building materials to becoming a food supplies powerhouse.
B Abdul Jabbar
‘My guru’
Jabbar credits his mentor, Abdullah Majid Al Muheiry, for shaping his career. “He was not well versed in reading or writing although he knew how to sign his name, but he was a gem of a person with sharp business acumen. I consider him to be my guru” Jabbar shared, adding: “Whatever his employees needed, he always provided. I had the privilege of travelling extensively with him for business deals to places like Germany, Holland, among others.”
With Abdulla Al Muhairy in Frankfurt, Germany in 1991
Even after Jabbar left the company in 1990, his mentor continued to show immense generosity. “Mr. Abdullah continued to show kindness and generosity toward me even after I quit the company. He went as far as offering my nephew a job. If I didn’t reach out to him for a few days, he would call to gently admonish me for losing touch," he said.
His bond with Abdullah Majid remained unbroken until the latter’s passing at the age of 91.
Jabbar in his first car in 1985
A new chapter
In 2000, Jabbar joined Baniyas Spike Group, starting as general manager of the wholesale division. Over the years, he witnessed the company’s remarkable growth from a small startup with eight employees to one of the region’s largest wholesale food suppliers, now employing over 1,000 people and operating 150 vehicles.
“Kuttur Abdul Rahman Haji, the owner, is an amazing entrepreneur and philanthropist. He treats me like family,” Jabbar noted. “He even attended all my children’s weddings in Kannur and insists I continue working despite my age.”
Jabbar takes great pride in the company’s philanthropic initiatives, including shipments to Gaza through the Red Crescent, a cause close to his heart.
Family and community
Jabbar’s personal life is deeply intertwined with his journey in the UAE. He married his wife Rahmath in 1979, and after five years of separation due to high rent costs, she joined him in 1985, bringing their three -year-old daughter, Jemshina, with her.
"After we got married, my husband took on the responsibility of arranging his sisters’ marriages and helping his brothers get settled. On top of that, the high rent made things challenging. So I had to wait for five years before I could join him," Rahmath recalled.
"We first lived in a small one-bedroom setup without even a proper kitchen. His brothers would also join us for every meal. My husband worked tirelessly around the clock," she added.
The couple now has three children—Jemshina, Jesna, and Jemeesh—and three grandchildren. “When I first arrived in the UAE, I had no family here. Today, we book a bus for family gatherings,” Mrs. Jabbar said with pride.
Standing: From L to R, son Jemeesh and sons-in law Rishan and Al Ameen. Sitting: From L to R, daughter-in law Asla, wife Rahmath, Abdul Jabbar, his daughters Jesna and Jemshina along with grandchildren.
Jabbar’s children describe him as a patient and kind-hearted father. "I’ve never heard him shout or talk rudely. This quality has helped to drive our family through good times and bad and count our blessings” said Jemshina.
Jabar’s son, Jemeesh, now working at a local UAE bank, added: “My father has and will always be a mentor who has been there to guide me in the right direction. His support is immense during hard times, teaching me to stand up whenever I fall.”
Youngest daughter Jesna is glad her father is spreading his love and joy to his grandchildren as well. “I have learnt many lessons from the struggles he faced in life, his sincerity and the close bonding that he maintains with family. Apart from being the most wonderful dad, he is the best granddad as well,” Jesna noted.
Looking back with gratitude
Jabbar’s 50-year journey in the UAE has been filled with significant moments, including his meeting with the country's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed, in 1978 at his majlis in the old grand mosque on Airport Road in 1978.
Reflecting on 50 years in the UAE, Jabbar is filled with deep gratitude. "I am just a simple family man with modest dreams. The UAE is a nation that empowers ordinary people to live with dignity and provide a good life for their families.
"I can only express my heartfelt thanks to the visionary leaders for giving us the opportunity to lead meaningful lives, not just for ourselves but for generations to come,” he said.
For Jabbar, retirement remains a distant thought. Instead, he continues to live a life full of purpose, embodying the spirit of resilience that built the UAE.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
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