Abdul-Qawi Hasan Makkawee

Born in 1918 Abdul-Qawi Hasan Makkawee became a prominent politician in Yemen, then in Aden during 1960's at the heart of the struggle between the British and growing nationalism. He was once in the colonial government but later remained in opposition for the rest of his life.

Makkawee became Chief Minister of Aden from 7 March 1965 to 25 September 1965. During his last month of office the British Speaker of the fledgling National Council, Sir Arthur Charles, was gunned down upon returning to his car following a game of tennis. Makkawee expressed regret but refused to condemn the murder stating, "I put the entire onus for this deteriorating situation on Britain".

He was dismissed by the British High Commissioner, Sir Richard Gordon Turnbull  in 1965 for his alliance with Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. After the dismissal, he went into exile in Egypt where he set up the Front for the Liberation of South Yemen (FLOSY) with Nasser's backing, but was involved in negotiations with Britain in 1966 and 1967.

On 13th June 1966 a large explosion in a house owned by a Makkawi family member was found to have been caused by the inadvertent triggering of a bomb being assembled. The would-be terrorist was killed instantly. Security forces found his course notes from a recent sabotage tutorial he had attended in Cairo. A substantial cache of weapons and explosives was found in the house.

On 27th February 1967 Makkawi's 3 sons were killed when a bomb exploded at the family home. The Marxist National Liberation Front (NLF) were the obvious suspects.

A year later, in 1967, the British government declared South Yemen an independent state under the Marxist National Liberation Front (NLF), Makkawi's bitter enemy. Makkawi remained in exile in Egypt rejecting appeals by the new Yemen government to return home.

He died in Cairo, Egypt, on August 12 1998, aged 73.

His father, Khan Bahadur Sir Muhammed Makkawee had earned a living teaching Arabic to members of the British garrison. He later became a building contractor and a successful trader, dealing in coffee and skins. Recognised as an Aden notable he was a respected public figure and a member of the Settlement Committee and Port Trust Board.