JEDDAH, 3 March 2003 — Samya B. is a Saudi woman from a prominent business family in the Kingdom. The family established itself by building local and international factories and took full advantage of the opportunities of the 1970s oil boom. However, after the death of the founder — Samya’s grandfather — family disputes arose.

Samya told her own story to Sayidaty, a sister publication of Arab News.

“My father was the oldest of four brothers and three sisters. My mother was his cousin. As a child my grandfather sold bread to pilgrims, but later he acquired a small shop there and his business grew. He made enough money to expand and get into the food business. Because of his business experience, he built factories and became the local agent for a number of international companies who wanted their products to be sold in the Saudi market. When his sons grew up, they helped him manage and develop his business. My father, as the oldest, did not finish school. All my uncles went to America and studied in universities there.

“My father took charge of the business after my grandfather’s death in 1977. He worked tirelessly and succeeded in expanding the business and increasing profits. Sadly, however, he died of a brain disease at the age of only 47 and my uncles took over the business.

“There were predictable differences about the best way to run the business and some family members were unusually greedy. Financial and management disputes arose, especially when my youngest uncle asked for his share of the assets. My other uncles refused at first but since he insisted, they had no choice but to do as he wished.

“As for me, I have an MA in Interior Design and Decorating from an American university. When I returned to Saudi Arabia, I thought about setting up my own company. I thought about taking my share of the family wealth, but when I told this to my mother, her reaction amazed me. She accused me of being selfish and not caring about the rest of the family — like my youngest uncle.

“She felt that the only way the family could stay strong was to stick together. I was very unhappy with what she said; she seemed always to agree with my uncles. I then went to my brother and asked him what he thought of my idea, but he was as strongly opposed as our mother.

“I went back to my mother to try and convince her but she became angry and impatient and told me that I was just upsetting and disobeying my uncles. She said that they knew the business better than I did and so I should leave things as they were.

“When I suggested that I take some of my share of the family money — my share is about SR90 million — to start my own business, she refused. I was very shocked. Why had I gotten an education and a degree if I could use neither?

“It is true that I live in a big house, but I am not free to do as I want. My family makes sure that I do not lack for anything. I live in the most comfortable conditions anyone could imagine, but both my social and emotional lives are empty. Many men have wanted to marry me but they have all been refused. My family says that they do not want anyone except one of my relatives from a rich merchant family.

“I am the oldest among my cousins and so I could not marry a younger one and by now, they have all married other women from rich families. My family’s excuse when they turn down a man who asks to marry me is that he is after my money. I am in my 40s now, so it is not likely that I will ever marry.

“In the end, because I could not get my share of the family money, I started to work as a teacher in a school for decoration and design. At last, I felt I was a productive member of society, and when I earned SR8,000 as a monthly salary, I felt proud and happy that I was making a contribution.

“When my uncles found out that I was getting a salary, they stopped my monthly allowance, saying that I didn’t need it and that I could be independent. My mother did not object.

“Some of my friends encouraged me to put more pressure on my family and I have tried to. You must remember that there are limits to what I can do; in the end, they are my family and I have no one else. Perhaps, I am weak, but against my entire family, I can do little.

“Even though my mother has not been helpful, I do not want to upset her; since the death of my father, I have no one but her. Yes, I am a millionaire but I am poor in some very important ways. I cannot do what I want here, so I spend most of my time traveling abroad.

“When I am at home, I spend a lot of time in the garden with the birds I have imported to live and sing in the trees.”