By Ayomide Otitoju
resident Bola Tinubu has continued his bilateral engagements with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a brief stumble during a welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey.
The incident, which was captured in a viral video, showed President Tinubu momentarily missing his step while walking alongside President Erdoğan during the ceremonial reception at the Turkish presidential palace. He was quickly assisted by officials and regained his balance, allowing proceedings to continue uninterrupted.
Reacting to the incident, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, confirmed that the President was unharmed and remained fully engaged in his official duties.
“Mr President missed his step very briefly and has continued his bilateral meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A live press conference is happening immediately after the bilateral,” Olusegun wrote on his X handle.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, said President Tinubu proceeded from the ceremonial reception directly to scheduled bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart and other senior officials.
“President Tinubu, after a stately welcome ceremony in Ankara, proceeded to scheduled bilateral meetings with the President of Türkiye and other senior government officials from both countries,” Dare said.
President Tinubu arrived at the Turkish presidential palace in a black limousine, where he was received with full state honours. Nigeria’s national anthem was played by a military band, followed by the Turkish national anthem, before he inspected a guard of honour.
The Nigerian leader departed Abuja on Monday for the state visit aimed at strengthening existing cordial relations between Nigeria and Turkey and exploring new areas of cooperation. Key sectors on the agenda include security, education, social development, innovation, aviation, finance, communications, trade and investment.
President Tinubu and President Erdoğan later addressed a joint press conference after their bilateral talks in Ankara, underscoring the commitment of both countries to deepen diplomatic and economic ties.
