Sheikh Zayed look-alike stuns UAE residents

If you happen to meet him on the street or at one of the many heritage functions he is invited to, you would be left wondering if he was Sheikh Zayed. Bearing an uncanny resemblance to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, you could be forgiven for assuming he was at least a relative of the beloved founding father of the UAE.
Well, he is not. Hazza Saeed Abdullah Al Kitbi is a 34-year-old Emirati who has become a social media star because of his striking resemblance to Sheikh Zayed.
"It is really an honour for me to look like the late founding father Sheikh Zayed who shall always remain alive in our hearts and souls," he said.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, the father of two beautiful girls - Rouda, 6, and Latifa, 4 - said the resemblance was first noticed about 10 years ago.
"It was only when I posted a photo of mine on my account on Instagram that I started getting hundreds of comments on this likeness.
"I was also at a heritage event when everybody started talking about this similarity between me and Sheikh Zayed."

Al Kitbi, who lives in Sharjah, said many people even thought he was a grandson of Sheikh Zayed. "If you Google-search 'Sheikh Zayed son', my images will pop out."
Being a royal guard of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Al Kitbi was also noticed by a member of the royal family, Sheikh Dhiab bin Mohammed bin Zayed. "He called me up and had a chat with me for some time."
Al Kitbi said he would meet His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, "in a few days". "I will apologise to him about the 'Zayed Twin' hashtag that was initially launched for him."
Not in it for the money
No matter how viral his images had become, Al Kitbi said he had never made money out of his popularity.
"I have never gone to any restaurant to promote it and earn money as many social influencers do. I go there only to eat and leave as a normal customer," he said.
He is mostly invited to heritage events because of his features. On top of that, he has been doing several charity works within and outside the UAE, visiting senior citizens, people of determination, patients, orphans and even schools, where he would usually talk about the UAE's founding father.
Of the many funny situations he was involved in, Al Kitbi remembered a recent visit to an Emirati home in Al Ain where he gifted the family a UAE flag in celebration of the Flag Day.
"All the family members came in and sat with me in the Majlis (sitting room) except a little girl who stayed outside and kept crying."
He later learnt that the girl was scared of him. "She thought that I was Sheikh Zayed who she knew had died. I talked to her and comforted her, until she came in and smiled."
Hollywood star
Al Kitbi's reputation has gone beyond the UAE. Big Kahuna Films, a Hollywood company, contacted him for a short documentary movie on the late Sheikh Zayed.
"Ali Faisal Mustafa, the director, who is also a writer and producer, came all the way from the US to meet me, spent a lot of time shooting and recording videos of me."
Embracing the Emirati heritage, Al Kitbi is a big fan of camels and falcons. "I spend a lot of time with my camels and falcons in the desert," he said. "This spiritually lifts me up and adds to my happiness."
Al Kitbi said the Year of Zayed has been a good opportunity for everyone in the UAE to keep the legacy of the charismatic leader alive.
"If I met Sheikh Zayed, I would first tell him how much we all miss him and would also apologise about the likeness people are talking about between us - because I am really way far below that incomparable honour."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com