- Turkish Officials Dismiss Tinubu’s Stumble as ‘Silly’ – Dabiri-Erewa
- Says Turkish officials expressed surprise at the debate generated in Nigeria
- Tinubu’s visit to Türkiye, is aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations and expanding cooperation in key sectors
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has revealed that Turkish officials dismissed the controversy in Nigeria over President Bola Tinubu’s brief stumble during his official visit to Türkiye, describing it as “silly and mischievous.”
Eko Hot Blog reports that Dabiri-Erewa made the disclosure on Wednesday while responding to a post on X by Oguntoye Opeyemi, popularly known as Equityoyo, who criticised Nigerian media for the level of attention given to the incident.
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“Exactly. On ground here in Ankara, their officials were shocked to learn that it was an issue in Nigerian media and blogs,” Dabiri-Erewa wrote.
She explained that Turkish officials expressed surprise at the debate generated in Nigeria, noting that the President’s visit was being widely celebrated in Türkiye for its diplomatic and economic significance.
“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,” she added.
In his post, Opeyemi also observed that the incident did not feature in Türkiye’s mainstream media, describing it as a non-issue.
“Not a single Turkish TV station reported the President’s accidental slip because it’s a non-issue. But Naija TV and national newspapers,” he wrote.
President Tinubu briefly stumbled on Tuesday during a ceremonial march-past organised in his honour at the parade ground in Ankara, as he stepped forward to join the guard of honour. The event continued without disruption.
Video footage of the moment, initially shared by Turkish digital outlet Nefes Gazetesi and later circulated on X, showed Tinubu momentarily losing his balance while walking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before being quickly supported by security personnel.
Tinubu’s visit, his first official trip to Türkiye, is aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations and expanding cooperation in key sectors including defence, trade, investment, energy, media, and scientific research.
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