During his official visit to Ankara, 73-year-old Nigerian President Bola Tinubu experienced an unpleasant incident. While passing by the honor guard, he stumbled and fell to the ground. Video recordings posted on the social media of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan show Tinubu losing his balance and falling, but he soon gets up with a smile on his face. Erdoğan politely supported his colleague throughout the ceremony.
The incident occurred during the ceremonial welcome when Tinubu was walking past a row of the honor guard. Those around him immediately reacted and helped him to get up. Just 45 seconds after the fall, the presidents were already standing together on the platform, ready to continue the event. The video of this moment quickly spread on social media and sparked discussions.
However, representatives of Tinubu's administration were quick to dispel rumors about his health and the seriousness of the incident. The president's press secretary, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the cause of the fall was a metallic object on the floor, which caused Tinubu to lose his balance.
“This has nothing to do with serious issues, except for those who want to blow this incident into something negative. He simply tripped, not fell,” he added. The president's assistant, Sandy Dair, emphasized that Tinubu feels great and all scheduled meetings went successfully.
This is not the first time Tinubu has faced similar incidents in public. In June 2024, he also fell at an official event but reacted with humor, joking that he could have looked like a dancer. His assistant described it as a “minor slip,” while opposition leader Atiku Abubakar expressed regret over the incident, calling it an “unfortunate occurrence.” Judging by the reactions of those around, the current incident in Ankara is viewed as a minor inconvenience, not deserving special attention against the backdrop of the significant outcomes of the visit.
During the meeting, Tinubu and Erdoğan reached important agreements in the areas of economy, trade, and defense. The Turkish president noted the goal of increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion and confirmed support for Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, including military cooperation and intelligence sharing. Tinubu also added that Nigeria is open to new partnerships, trade, and investments.
