President Bola Tinubu stumbled briefly during a ceremonial reception in Türkiye but quickly continued his schedule with President Erdoğan
President Bola Tinubu briefly stumbled during a ceremonial march-past on Tuesday at the parade ground in Türkiye, during his official reception by his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
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The incident occurred as Tinubu joined the guard of honour, drawing momentary attention before the programme continued without disruption.
He was quickly assisted by the Secret Service, and the ceremony proceeded smoothly.
A video posted on X by Turkish digital news platform Nefes Gazetesi shows the President walking alongside Erdoğan before stumbling to the ground.
The reception began at about 5:00 pm local time, featuring the simultaneous playing of both nations’ national anthems and a ceremonial 21-gun salute.
Following the formalities, both leaders moved into a closed-door bilateral meeting to discuss strategic national issues.
This marks Tinubu’s first official visit to Türkiye, a reciprocal engagement following Erdoğan’s visit to Nigeria in October 2021 during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
The visit aims to consolidate relations between the two countries and explore new areas of cooperation.
According to Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, discussions will cover finance, communication, trade, investment, and other strategic areas.
The agenda also includes signing memoranda of understanding in scientific research, energy, technical cooperation, media, communications, and military collaboration.
A business forum is expected on the sidelines to connect Nigerian and Turkish investors, creating opportunities for mutual economic growth.
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Senior Nigerian officials accompanying the President include the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd).
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
