Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is in good health after briefly stumbling during a reception ceremony in Turkey, one of his aides has said, dismissing concerns raised by videos circulating online.
The 73-year-old president was being formally welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara when he lost his balance. Official footage shared on the Turkish president’s X account shows Tinubu walking past a guard of honour before veering to his right, stumbling and falling. The video briefly cuts to aides assisting him before resuming with an aerial shot. Moments later, Tinubu and Erdogan are seen standing side by side.
Tinubu appeared unharmed and went on to hold scheduled bilateral talks. Presidential aide Sunday Dare said the president was “in great shape” and continued his official engagements without difficulty.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga later explained that Tinubu had stepped on a metal object on the floor, causing him to lose his balance. “This is not a big deal, except for those who want to make mischief out of a fleeting incident. It was a mere stumble, thank God, not a fall,” he said.
The incident quickly spread on social media, recalling a similar moment in June 2024 when Tinubu also stumbled in public. At the time, the president joked that observers thought he was performing a popular dance move. That episode drew sympathy from across Nigeria’s political spectrum, including from opposition leader Atiku Abubakar, who described it as unfortunate, and former lawmaker Shehu Sani, who said it showed the president was “human like everyone else.”
In an apparent effort to reassure the public, Dare later posted in capital letters on X that the state visit was proceeding smoothly and that Tinubu had moved on to meetings with Erdogan and senior Turkish officials.
Tinubu’s visit to Turkey is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. Following talks between the two leaders, Turkey announced new agreements with Nigeria covering economic, trade and defence cooperation. At a joint press conference, Erdogan said both countries had reaffirmed a goal of boosting bilateral trade to five billion dollars.
The agreements also include defence cooperation, with Turkey pledging support for Nigeria’s fight against militant groups, as well as enhanced military training and intelligence sharing.
