In October 2024, a meeting was held at the Fair Center to announce the activities of the first six months of the mayoral term.
Young and idealistic Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek, who won Manisa with a record number of votes after many years, took the stage with great excitement and proudly shared his first achievements with the 2,500 people who came to listen to him.
City restaurants, the People's Dairy, the renovation of the city theater, the solution to the transportation problem, and most importantly, populist municipalism…
As Mayor Zeyrek described what he had done in the first six months with the "excitement of a student receiving their first report card," as he put it, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, whom he called his "precious older brother and mentor," was watching him from the front row with great pride.
The day after the meeting was his daughter Nehir's birthday. That day, Chairman Özgür Özel pinned the CHP badge on the mayor's daughter, Nehir. This was her only wish for her new age; to become a member of the CHP…*
Born and raised in Manisa, having returned to his hometown after university to serve as a chamber president, having made significant contributions to Manisaspor, and having worked in many non-governmental organizations, this young man was describing his dreams for the future of Manisa at that meeting with the happiness of realizing his childhood dream.
According to Zeyrek, Manisa should have become a center of attraction like İzmir. The youth of Manisa, which possesses all kinds of resources with its developed industry and vast agricultural lands, should have built their future plans around this city. People were earning their money in Manisa but spending it in İzmir…
Zeyrek had an objection to this;
"Our greatest wish is for this city's money to remain in this city. We believe we can achieve this," he stated in an interview (egedesonsöz, 2024).
Zeyrek, who prided himself on being a "son of Manisa," was looking for ways to keep the city attractive for young people and was making investment plans. He was working tirelessly for his city, for his hometown…
Until that holiday morning when the tragic accident occurred…
The dark news fell not only on Manisa but on the hearts of all of Turkey…
People from many different political views, whether they knew him or not, shed tears for Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek…
Dreams, hopes, and visions were left unfinished…
Those words from his interview with journalist İpek Özbey remain in mind;
"If you were born again and had the chance to choose, who would you want to be?" Özbey had asked…
Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek had replied as follows;
"I think I would want to be myself again. Because there is so much more I have to do. I would not want to leave an unfinished story behind."
Goodbye with your unfinished dreams, brave son of Manisa, Ferdi Zeyrek…
It is not granted to everyone to win the hearts of millions. The greatest legacy you leave to your daughters is this great love. Rest in peace…
*manisadenge.com. (2024). “Mayor Zeyrek presented the Z-report of his 6 months in office”.
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