The recent official visit of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to Ankara was marked by an unexpected incident: the 73-year-old leader stumbled and fell while passing by the honor guard. A video posted on the account of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan captured the moment when Tinubu lost his balance and ended up on the ground. Bystanders immediately rushed to help, and just 45 seconds later, both presidents were standing side by side, ready to continue the ceremony, as evidenced by aerial footage. The video quickly spread on social media and sparked lively discussions.
The Nigerian administration promptly responded to the incident, seeking to dispel any doubts about the president's health. Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu's press secretary, explained that the fall was caused by a metal object that accidentally ended up on the floor, causing the president to lose his balance.
“It’s nothing more than an accident, and those who are trying to make a problem out of it are simply exaggerating. He just stumbled, not fell,” noted Onanuga. Sandy Dair, the president's assistant, added: “The president is in excellent shape, and the state visit is going successfully.” He also emphasized that all scheduled bilateral meetings took place after the ceremony.
This is not the first time Tinubu has found himself in a similar situation in public. In June 2024, he also fell during an official event, but at that time, he reacted with humor, joking that he could have been “dancing.” His assistant characterized the incident as a “minor slip,” while opposition politician Atiku Abubakar expressed his regrets about what happened. Apparently, the current incident in Ankara is perceived as a minor inconvenience against the backdrop of the important political achievements of the visit.
During the meeting between Tinubu and Erdoğan, significant results were achieved. The leaders announced new agreements in the fields of economy, trade, and defense. The Turkish president expressed his intention to increase bilateral trade turnover to $5 billion and confirmed support for Nigeria in the fight against militants, including joint military training and intelligence sharing. Tinubu, in turn, noted that Nigeria is open to partnerships, trade, and investments.
