During his official visit to Ankara, the 73-year-old President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, encountered an unexpected situation: while passing by the honor guard, he stumbled and fell to the ground. Despite the incident, Tinubu quickly got back on his feet, maintaining a smile, while his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, kindly supported him by the hand throughout the ceremony.
A video of the incident, posted on Erdoğan's account, captured the moment when Tinubu lost his balance and fell while turning. The footage shows those around him immediately rushing to his aid. After 45 seconds, the presidents were standing side by side again, continuing the ceremony. This episode quickly went viral on social media, sparking numerous discussions.
However, the press service of the Nigerian president was quick to dispel rumors about Tinubu's health and the seriousness of the incident. Press Secretary Bayo Onanuga stated that the cause of the fall was a metal object on the floor, which made the president lose his balance.
“This is nothing more than a minor incident, and only those who want to derive something negative from it can give it significance. He simply tripped,” noted Onanuga. The president's assistant, Sandy Dair, added that Tinubu is in good condition and that the visit is proceeding successfully. All scheduled bilateral meetings took place after the ceremony.
This is not the first time Tinubu has found himself in such a situation. In June 2024, he also fell during an official event, after which he joked that he could have looked like he was dancing. His assistant characterized it as a “minor slip,” while opposition politician Atiku Abubakar expressed regret over the incident. The reaction to the incident in Ankara was also calm and not perceived as a serious issue against the backdrop of the important outcomes of the visit.
As a result of the meeting between Tinubu and Erdoğan, the parties signed a number of new agreements in the fields of economy, trade, and defense. The President of Turkey set a goal to increase bilateral trade turnover to $5 billion and promised support to Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, including military cooperation and intelligence sharing. Later, Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria is open to new partnerships, trade, and investments.
