Turkish Officials Dismiss Uproar Over Tinubu’s Stumble as “Silly and Mischievous”

Turkish government officials have reportedly expressed shock and amusement at the social media frenzy generated in Nigeria over President Bola Tinubu’s brief stumble during his official visit to Turkey, dismissing the controversy as “silly and mischievous.”

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this reaction on Wednesday while engaging with a user on X (formerly Twitter).

The user, Oguntoye Opeyemi, had pointed out that while Nigerian media and blogs were buzzing with videos of the incident, Turkish television stations had completely ignored the slip, treating it as a non-issue.

Responding to the observation, Dabiri-Erewa confirmed that officials in Ankara were baffled by the negative attention the minor incident received back home.

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“Exactly. On ground here in Ankara, their officials were shocked to learn that it was an issue in Nigerian media/blogs,” she wrote.

She added that one official specifically described the uproar as “silly and mischievous,” emphasizing that the Turkish government and media were instead focused on the “incredible success” of the visit, which was being widely celebrated across their local platforms.

The incident in question occurred on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Ankara. During a ceremonial march-past organized for his reception, President Tinubu briefly stumbled while walking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to inspect the guard of honour.

A video shared by a Turkish digital news platform showed the President momentarily losing his balance before being quickly assisted by security operatives. He immediately regained his composure and continued with the programme without disruption.

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Back in Nigeria, the Presidency has moved swiftly to quell rumors regarding the President’s health.

Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, assured the public that Tinubu remained “hale and hearty” and had proceeded to scheduled bilateral meetings.

Similarly, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, clarified that the President had merely stepped on a metal object on the floor, which caused him to lose his footing.

“It was a mere stumble, thank God, not a fall,” Onanuga stated, urging Nigerians to ignore those seeking to make mischief out of a fleeting moment.