Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed that Turkish officials expressed surprise at the extensive attention Nigerian media devoted to President Bola Tinubu's momentary stumble during his official visit to Türkiye. She characterized the ensuing controversy as completely unnecessary and misplaced.
Turkish Reaction to Media Coverage
Dabiri-Erewa made these remarks on Wednesday, January 28, while responding to a social media post by X user Oguntoye Opeyemi, widely known as Equityoyo, who questioned why this incident dominated Nigerian discussions. "On ground here in Ankara, their officials were shocked to learn that it was an issue in Nigerian media and blogs," Dabiri-Erewa wrote in her response.
Official Turkish Perspective
She elaborated that Turkish officials dismissed the entire debate surrounding the stumble, with one senior official describing the media focus as "silly and mischievous." The official emphasized that President Tinubu's visit was widely regarded as highly successful throughout Türkiye. "One of them described it as 'silly and mischievous,' and reiterated how excited their country is about the incredible success of the visit by @officialABAT, which is all over their media here," Dabiri-Erewa added.
Incident Details and Context
President Tinubu experienced a brief stumble on Tuesday during a ceremonial march-past held in his honor at the parade ground in Ankara. The moment occurred as he stepped forward to join the guard of honor but did not disrupt the proceedings. Video footage, initially shared by Turkish digital outlet Nefes Gazetesi and subsequently circulated on X, showed Tinubu walking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before momentarily losing his balance. He was promptly supported by security personnel.
Media Coverage Discrepancy
Oguntoye Opeyemi noted in his original post that the stumble incident received no coverage in Türkiye's mainstream media. He pointed out that no Turkish television station reported on the president's accidental slip, highlighting the stark contrast in media priorities between the two nations.
Significance of the Visit
President Tinubu's visit to Türkiye represents his first official trip to the country and aims to strengthen bilateral relations significantly. The diplomatic mission focuses on expanding cooperation across multiple strategic areas including:
- Defense and security collaboration
- Trade and investment opportunities
- Energy sector partnerships
- Media cooperation and exchange
- Scientific research initiatives
The visit has been widely covered in Turkish media as a substantial diplomatic achievement, with officials emphasizing the productive discussions and agreements reached between the two nations.
