The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this on Wednesday while reacting to comments on social media regarding the episode. According to her, officials in Ankara were taken aback to learn that the moment had become a subject of debate in Nigerian media circles.
Dabiri-Erewa explained that Turkish authorities viewed the focus on the incident as unnecessary, describing it as “silly and mischievous,” especially given the overwhelmingly positive reception of the Nigerian President’s visit in Türkiye. She noted that the visit itself was widely covered and celebrated across Turkish media platforms for its diplomatic significance.
Her comments were in response to a post by an X user, Oguntoye Opeyemi (Equityoyo), who observed that the stumble did not feature in Türkiye’s mainstream media. According to him, no Turkish television station considered the moment newsworthy, in contrast to the attention it received in Nigeria.
President Tinubu briefly lost his balance on Tuesday during a ceremonial march-past organised in his honour at the parade ground in Ankara. The incident occurred as he joined the guard of honour alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Although the moment drew brief attention, proceedings continued without interruption.
A short video of the incident, initially published by Turkish digital outlet Nefes Gazetesi and later circulated on X, showed the President momentarily stumbling before being quickly assisted by security personnel. The footage went viral in Nigeria, sparking widespread commentary.
The Presidency has consistently downplayed the incident, stressing that it had no impact on the President’s health or official programme. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, stated that Tinubu remained “hale and hearty” and proceeded with all scheduled engagements.
According to Dare, following the ceremonial welcome in Ankara, the President went on to hold planned bilateral meetings with President Erdoğan and other senior Turkish government officials.
Similarly, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the episode as a minor and fleeting occurrence. He explained that the President stepped on a metal object on the floor, briefly losing his balance.
“This is not a big deal, except for those who want to make mischief out of a fleeting incident. It was a mere stumble, thank God, not a fall,” Onanuga said.
The official reception on Tuesday began around 5:00 pm local time and featured the playing of the Nigerian and Turkish national anthems, followed by a ceremonial 21-gun salute. After the event, Presidents Tinubu and Erdoğan held a closed-door bilateral meeting focused on issues of strategic importance to both countries.
Tinubu’s visit—his first official trip to Türkiye—is aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties and expanding cooperation in key areas including defence, trade, investment, energy, media, and scientific research. A business forum was also scheduled on the sidelines of the visit to facilitate engagement between Nigerian and Turkish investors.
Senior Nigerian officials in attendance at the reception included the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.).
The Presidency has urged Nigerians to disregard attempts to sensationalise the incident, reiterating that the President remains fully engaged and focused on advancing Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic interests during the visit.