Mehmet Akif (Ersoy), Burdur Deputy of the First Parliament of Turkey and His Aktivities

Abstract

Mehmet Akif was persuaded to go to Anatolia because the occupations started after the First World War. Mustafa Kemal's invitation to Anatolia was also very important to be there for him. Mehmet Akif, his son Emin and Ali Şükrü Bey arrived in Ankara on 24th of April in 1920.

After he went to Ankara, he also visited Eskişehir, Burdur, Sandıklı, Dinar and Antalya to explain the importance of defence of our country and raise awareness of the war of independence. He also wanted to weaken the negative propagandas about national struggle among people.

In the by-elections in Burdur he was elected as deputy. He was also elected as Biga deputy at the same time but he preferred to be the deputy from Burdur.

He worked in "İrsad" Committee in the Parliament and then was sent to Konya because of the disorder in the society. Then he went to Afyon and Eskişehir. He also visited Çankırı and Kastomonu. Besides working in İrşad Committee, he also worked in National Education Committee.

Although he did not want to enter the contest for writing Turkish National Anthem because of the prize money, he was persuaded by the Minister of National Education Hamdullah Suphi to enter the contest. He wrote a national anthem and this was accepted as the National Anthem on March 12, 1921. While he was in Ankara and working in the parliament, he never hesitated to show his ideas, thoughts and reactions by his statements and reports.

After the Battle of Dumlupınar, he went to Eskişehir from Ankara. Then he went to Afyon to visit the battle areas. He was also in Edirne. When he was in İstanbul he met Prince Abbas Halim. Prince Abbas Halim invited Mehmet Akif to Egypt. After he came back to Ankara he resigned from his duty in National Education Committee. He did not want to become a candidate for being a deputy again. He left Ankara and moved to İstanbul with his family. At the end of the September in 1923, he went to Egypt.