Turkish authorities have reportedly brushed off the controversy surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s brief stumble during his state visit to Türkiye, describing the reaction in Nigeria as “silly” and “mischievous,” according to the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Dabiri-Erewa made the remarks on Wednesday via 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) while responding to a post by Oguntoye Opeyemi (Equityoyo), who highlighted the contrast between how Nigerian and Turkish media handled the incident.
Writing from Ankara, Dabiri-Erewa said Turkish officials were surprised that the President’s minor misstep during a ceremonial welcome on Tuesday had generated widespread debate across Nigerian blogs and news platforms.
She noted that officials in Türkiye considered the incident insignificant and were taken aback that it had become a major talking point in Nigeria. According to her, one Turkish official dismissed the uproar as trivial and mischievous, stressing that the visit itself was being celebrated across Turkish official and local media as a major success.
Opeyemi, in the post referenced by Dabiri-Erewa, observed that no Turkish television station reported the stumble, as it was viewed locally as a non-issue, unlike in Nigeria where it received extensive coverage.
Naija News recalls that President Tinubu briefly lost his balance while taking part in a ceremonial march-past in Ankara during a guard-of-honour inspection alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The moment passed quickly, and the event continued without disruption.
Although a video of the incident, later shared by Turkish digital outlet Nefes Gazetesi, circulated widely on Nigerian social media, the Presidency has consistently downplayed the episode, insisting it was a minor slip unrelated to the President’s health or the importance of the diplomatic visit.