December 18, 2025

The internationalization vision of the Council of Higher Education continues to build cultural bridges by going beyond academic boundaries. The story of Nigerian student Ali Fahd reveals that education in Türkiye is not merely a diploma process but also a profound journey of emotional connection. Fahd’s story—who wrote poetry about tea and took his first step toward marriage by getting engaged to a Turkish woman—stands as a genuine example of cultural ambassadorship, extending from Erasmus experiences to family ties.

Ali Fahd began his undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Theology of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University in 2021 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in the Department of Sociology of Religion at Ankara University.

Having learned Turkish to a high level and thus adapting quickly and effortlessly to social life, Fahd expressed the special value that Turkish people place on students with the following words:
“During the four and a half years I have spent here, the thing that impressed me the most has been the value Turks give to students. I have not seen such care anywhere else in the world. Turks treat students almost as if they were sacred.”

Ali Fahd stated that when he first arrived in Türkiye, the tea culture was unfamiliar to him, but over time it became a symbol of Turkish hospitality. He explained that the warm communication he experienced—from university professors to people on the street—who would say, ‘Sit down, Ali, let us offer you some tea, some chocolate,’ encouraged him to engage in literary creation.

In 2024, Fahd’s poem titled “The Essence of Tea” was published in Her Boydan, a magazine of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). In his poem, Fahd depicted the warmth of tea and the sincerity of the Turkish people as follows:

“No sooner does it finish than they refill it, speaking with heartfelt warmth.      
The Turkish nation is like tea, warm-hearted in its ways.              
The essence of tea, the essence of the Turk, puts the guest at ease.       
Even when you say ‘enough,’ they insist—their heart offers itself to you.”

“Türkiye’s Kindness Cannot Be Repaid”

Life in Türkiye also brought profound changes to Fahd’s personal life. By getting engaged to a Turkish citizen, Fahd took steps to formalize his bond with Türkiye, noting that his family was also deeply happy about this development.

Sharing the joy of his family, who came from Nigeria and were pleased to see their son living in such a welcoming environment, Fahd emphasized that he would never sever his ties with this country. Describing Türkiye as “a second homeland that occupies the most special place in my heart,” Fahd said that he aims to contribute to Türkiye in commercial, humanitarian, and diplomatic fields in the future.

Stressing that, wherever he may live, he sees serving Türkiye as a debt of gratitude, Fahd concluded with the words:     “Türkiye’s kindness cannot be repaid.”