Turkish officers have dismissed the controversy generated in Nigeria over President Bola Tinubu’s transient stumble throughout his official go to to Türkiye, describing the eye given to the incident as “foolish and mischievous,” in response to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Fee (NiDCOM).
Dabiri-Erewa made this recognized on Wednesday whereas responding to a submit on X by a consumer, Oguntoye Opeyemi (Equityoyo), who criticised Nigerian media reactions to the incident.
She stated officers in Türkiye have been stunned to study that the second had turn out to be a difficulty in Nigeria.
“Precisely. On floor right here in Ankara, their officers have been shocked to study that it was a difficulty in Nigerian media/blogs,” Dabiri-Erewa wrote.
In line with her, Turkish officers harassed that the main target in Türkiye was on the success of Tinubu’s go to fairly than the transient incident on the reception ceremony.
She famous that one of many officers described the response in Nigeria as pointless and pushed by mischief.
“One in every of them described it as ‘foolish and mischievous,’ and reiterated how their nation was excited in regards to the unimaginable success of the go to by @officialABAT, which is throughout their media right here,” she added.
Opeyemi, in his unique submit, additionally identified that the incident acquired no consideration in Türkiye’s mainstream media, describing it as a non-issue within the host nation.
“Not a single Turkish TV station reported the President’s unintentional slip as a result of it’s a non-issue. However Naija TV and nationwide newspapers,” he wrote.
Tinubu had on Tuesday briefly stumbled throughout a ceremonial march-past organised in his honour on the parade floor in Ankara.
The incident occurred as he joined the guard of honour alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, momentarily drawing consideration earlier than the programme continued with out disruption.
A brief video of the second, first shared by Turkish digital information platform Nefes Gazetesi and later circulated broadly on X, confirmed Tinubu briefly dropping his steadiness whereas strolling with Erdoğan.
He was rapidly steadied by safety operatives.
Regardless of the video going viral in Nigeria and producing widespread commentary on-line, the Presidency has constantly downplayed the incident, insisting it had no impression on the President’s well being or official engagements.
