Mustafa Çifçi's Story: Character Before Position
· Halil ETYEMEZ
Mustafa Çifçi’nin Hikâyesi: Makamdan Önce KarakterGeçtiğimiz günlerde Yeni İçişleri Bakanımız Sayın Mustafa Çifçi’yi hayırlı olsun ziyaretinde bulunma fırsatı buldum. Yoğun devlet mesaisine rağmen gösterdiği samimiyet, tevazu ve nezaket dikkat çekiciydi. Ülkemizin gündemine ilişkin değerlendirmelerde bulunduk, geçmişten bugüne uzanan tecrübeleri üzerine sohbet ettik.Aradan birkaç gün geçtikten son
Mustafa Çifçi's Story: Character Before Position
Recently, I had the opportunity to pay a congratulatory visit to our new Interior Minister, Mr. Mustafa Çifçi. His sincerity, humility, and courtesy were remarkable, despite his demanding state duties. We discussed current national issues and conversed about his experiences from the past to the present.
A few days later, I read an interview conducted by journalist Nil Gülsüm with Mr. Mustafa Çifçi.
As I read the interview, I saw that the impressions I gained during my visit and the narratives in the text complemented each other.
Because there are some people whose stance does not change even when their positions do. There are some people whose values remain the same as their responsibilities grow.
This was what impressed me most in Mustafa Çifçi's interview.
In fact, the interview was not just about a minister's story. It was about how discipline, hard work, perseverance, and character shape a person's life.
Today, we talk a lot about success. We give career advice to our youth. We talk about exams, diplomas, positions, and titles. But often, we don't ask this question enough:
What is the real force that carries a person to their current point?
Does the position make the person greater?
Or does the person make the position greater?
The answers given by Mr. Mustafa Çifçi actually contain the answers to these questions.
When listing the three most important concepts in his life, he mentions discipline, hard work, and perseverance.
I believe these three concepts, which seem simple at first glance, are actually the summary of a strong life philosophy.
Discipline is the ability of a person to manage themselves. It is the ability to control one's own ego. The sense of order that began in a Quran course and spread throughout all periods of his life is very meaningful in showing how human character is shaped at a young age.
We are not living in an era where accessing information is difficult. On the contrary, we are in a period where accessing information is easier than ever. Despite this, we experience serious problems with focus, stability, and discipline.
Because the issue is not a lack of information, but a lack of willpower.
This is precisely where discipline comes into play.
A person can often go as far as their discipline allows, not just their intelligence.
The second point that caught my attention in the interview was his work ethic. He recounts that during his years at Konya Imam Hatip High School, he was always the last person to leave the study center each day.
This sentence might be one of the quietest yet most powerful sentences in the interview.
Because success is often hidden not in the applauded results, but in the preparation processes that no one sees.
Today, many young people look at where successful people are but do not sufficiently examine how they got there. Yet, it is precisely in these unseen efforts that life changes.
Late-night studies, unwavering goals, repeated preparations, and patiently awaited results…
This is the common language of lasting success.
Perhaps the most striking part of the interview was what he described about the district governor exam.
'I took the first and only exam. That was the district governor exam.'
I think this sentence deserves special attention.
Because this is not just about passing an exam.
This is about having a sense of purpose.
One of the biggest problems of people today is scatteredness. They aim for many goals simultaneously, try to keep many doors open, and often dissipate their energy.
However, great achievements are often the product of focused lives.
This is what I saw in Mustafa Çifçi's story.
Defining his goal.
Preparing for that goal.
Showing patience.
And not deviating from his path.
In fact, this is also what leadership is about.
Not losing direction.
One of the most impressive parts of the interview was when he described his first award.
He won first place in a composition contest. The district governor of the time gifted him a book and a pen. Years later, he still remembers the title of the book.
This detail reminded me again of the true power of education.
Sometimes, what guides a child's life is not great opportunities.
Sometimes, it is a teacher's word.
Sometimes, it is a manager's appreciation.
Sometimes, it is a book.
Sometimes, it is a pen.
This is exactly what nurturing a person is about.
Therefore, if we want to build a strong future, we should not only talk about building structures, producing projects, or developing technology. We must also talk about nurturing people.
Because strong people are the foundation of strong institutions.
And character is the foundation of strong people.
Today, we talk about the goals of the 'Century of Turkey'. We talk about a stronger Turkey, stronger institutions, and greater goals.
But at the root of all this is still the human being.
Character.
Responsibility.
A sense of trust.
Public administration is not just about knowledge of legislation. Public administration is also the ability to make decisions with conscience. It is about seeing authority not as personal power but as a responsibility towards the nation.
This is the main point that caught my attention in Mr. Mustafa Çifçi's interview.
What he described is less a story of position and more a story of character.
Discipline that began in a Quran course, work ethic that continued through student years, determination focused on a single goal, a reading habit nurtured by a book, and patience spanning years…
All of these are parts of the order a person establishes within themselves.
A person first establishes order within themselves.
Then they bring order to the institutions where they serve.
A person first finds direction in their own life.
Then they provide direction to society.
Perhaps this is the most important truth this interview reminded me of again.
Success does not come in a day.
Leadership is not formed instantly.
Character does not emerge by chance.
Each of these is built with years of effort, patience, and struggle.
And at the end of life, people remember not what position you held, but what kind of person you were.
Some people do not grow by reaching a position.
They enhance the position they hold through their character.
Mustafa Çifçi's story reminded me of this once again:
Position is important.
But character comes before position.
On this occasion, I once again wish our new Interior Minister, Mr. Mustafa Çifçi, success in his görev, and I pray to Almighty God that he may be granted the opportunity to render beneficial service to our country and nation.
May God grant him strength, wisdom, insight, and a sense of justice.
May He be his helper in the work he will undertake for the peace of our nation, the strength of our state, and the future of our country.
I extend my congratulations to him once again and wish him success in his endeavors that God facilitates for good deeds, leaving a mark, and earning a place in the hearts of the nation.