Omar Ömer Lütfi Mete was born on 1 February 1950 in the İyidere district of Rize, Türkiye, and is known for his contributions to journalism screenwriting and literature. He received religious education from an early age and completed his educational journey in Istanbul after beginning his studies in Rize. In the University years he entered the press world as an apprentice in a printing house and went on to work for numerous newspapers and magazines write books in various fields and author screenplays for multiple television series and films.

Childhood and Education

Ömer Lütfi Mete was born in the province of Rize in Türkiye and is the eldest child in a family of eight. His father was Hacı Ali Efendi and his mother was Huriye Hanım. His grandfather was a müderris and Mete received religious education from a young age. After completing primary and secondary education in Rize he was sent by his family to Ankara and Istanbul for further religious studies. In 1967 Mete returned to Rize and served as a Quran course teacher at the age of 17.

University and Professional Life

In 1970 Mete was admitted to the Faculty of Economics at Istanbul University but left the institution a year later. In 1973 he enrolled in the Turkish Language Department of the Atatürk Institute of Education at Marmara University and completed his studies. During his university years he began his career in the work world through apprenticeship at a printing house.

In addition to his career as a Turkish language and literature teacher Ömer Lütfi Mete worked extensively in the press and publishing sector holding both editorial and administrative positions at numerous newspapers and magazines. After completing his university education he began working at the newspaper Sabah in Türkiye and around the world as a layout editor. Following this role he worked in the foreign service department of the newspaper Tercüman and later became the general publishing director of the newspaper Yeni Haber which he co-founded with a group of friends. After leaving Yeni Haber Mete moved to Ankara and launched the newspaper Belde. He later returned to Istanbul and became the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Türkiye and worked as a sports writer for the magazine Yörünge during the long years. After leaving Türkiye he became the general publishing director of Yörünge. In the later years of his career he held various positions and wrote articles for the newspapers Ortadoğu Yeni Şafak Yeni Sayfa Yeni Binyıl Ayyıldız Sabah and Bugün. In the 2000s he conducted research at the KOCAV Foundation (Kültür ve Eğitim Ocağı Vakfı) where he taught courses to university students primarily on screenplay and other subjects and joined the board of directors of KOCAV in 2007.

Ömer Lütfi Mete - Tarihistan

Literary Career

Throughout his 59-year life Ömer Lütfi Mete published numerous articles in newspapers and literary magazines and authored books in literary and political genres. In addition he wrote screenplays for many television series and films and contributed to other productions.

After 1980 Mete published his poetry and short stories in the magazines Türk Edebiyatı and Boğaziçi and also wrote many pieces for his own magazine Çağrışım.

Works

Ömer Lütfi Mete has produced works in various literary fields. His novels include: Balonya Tüneli (1978) Çığlığın Ardı Çığlık (1990) Ezan Günü (Çizme) (1991) Asker ile Cemre (1993) Yerden Göğe Kadar (1993) İtfaiye Yanıyor: Bir Derin Devlet Geyiği (2005).

His essay collections are as follows: Hacı Yağı ile Parfüm Arasında (2000) Aşksız Zevksiz… Allahsız Müslümanlık: Gerileme Sürecinde İslâm’ı Yaşama Sorunu (2008) Derin Millet Manifestosu (Selections from Columns) Derin Devlet: Tanımlanamayan Güç (co-authored with Mahir Kaynak) (2005) Milliyetçilik Milliyetsiz (2007) Dünyayı Kimler Yönetiyor: Küresel İmparatorluğun Gizli Kurmayları (Interviews) 28 Şubat’tan Şemdinli’ye Derin Devlet Derin Çeteler (2005) Derin Pkk: Büyük Oyunun Gizli Kodları (co-authored with Mahir Kaynak) (2007) Ergenekon: Darbecilerin Son Çırpınışları (2008) Erdoğan Operasyonu: Küresel Sermayenin İktidar Savaşı (co-authored with Mahir Kaynak) (2008) Gizli Servisler: Karanlık Odalar Kör Noktalar (co-authored with Mahir Kaynak) (2007).

In addition to his novels and essays Ömer Lütfi Mete authored a short story collection titled Basılı Yakıt (2009) and a poetry book titled Gülce (2007). Some of his poems have been set to music over the years.

Ömer Lütfi Mete also made significant contributions in the field of television series and film as follows:

Cinema film screenplays: Ölümünün Ellinci Yılında Mehmet Âkif Ersoy (documentary) Boot Beyaz War Gülün Bittiği Place Yunus Emre The İmam.

TV film screenplays: Köstekli Time Ayrı Dünyalar Veysel Karani Ahmet Bedevi.

TV series screenplays: Bizim House Evlere Festival Ortaklar Deli Heart Avcı Life Bağları Wolf Kapanı Bir Yıldız Tutuldu Rabia AGA Çanakkale Destanı (documentary drama).

In addition he contributed screenplays scripts and consultancy to numerous series and films including Valley of the Wolves Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu and Kurtlar Vadisi Iraq Ekmek Teknesi among others.

Awards

Ömer Lütfi Mete’s work Ezan Günü (Çizme) written in 1991 was adapted into a film in 1992. For this film he received the “Screenplay Award” from the Turkish Writers’ Union in 1992. In 2002 he was awarded the “Press and Ideas Award” by the Turkish Writers’ Union.

Family Life

In 1982 he married his wife Leyla Hanım and had four children (Ali Bukhara Fatma Berra Hatice Hicaz and Zeynep Mücteba).

Ömer Lütfi Mete’s grave in Çengelköy - Anadolu Agency

Death

Ömer Lütfi Mete died at the age of 59 on 18 November 2009 following a heart crisis and was buried in the Çengelköy Cemetery in Istanbul.