Turkish officials react to President Tinubu’s brief stumble in Ankara
Turkish officials react to President Tinubu’s brief stumble in Ankara
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), says Turkish officials expressed surprise over the attention generated in Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu’s brief stumble during an official event in Ankara.
The incident occurred on Tuesday during a welcome ceremony in Turkey’s capital, where Tinubu was walking alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Nigerian leader momentarily lost his balance but was promptly supported by officials nearby and quickly recovered.
Following the rendition of both national anthems, there was also a moment when Erdogan used his hands to reposition Tinubu so he could properly face the band.
Despite the routine nature of the event, the stumble dominated headlines across Nigerian newspapers, blogs, and social media platforms.
Reacting on Wednesday, Dabiri-Erewa, who was part of the Nigerian delegation in Ankara, said Turkish officials were “shocked” by the level of attention the incident received back home.
In a post on X, she wrote that they were “shocked to learn that it was an issue in Nigerian media / blogs”.
According to her, “One of them described it as ‘silly and mischievous’, and reiterated how their country was excited about the incredible success of the visit by @officialABAT which is all over their media here.”
However, the incident was not entirely ignored in Turkey. It was reported by several local media organisations, including Anadolu Ajansı (AA), the state-run news agency.
Cumhuriyet, an independent Turkish newspaper, carried the headline: “Nigerian President Tinubu fell at the welcoming ceremony at the Presidency,” while Nefes and Yeniçağ also reported the incident.
