Nigerians have been left worried about the health of President Bola Tinubu after he stumbled and fell during a reception parade in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
Tinubu was walking alongside his Turkey counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as they exchanged pleasantries with soldiers and dignitaries when he missed his footing, leading to the fall.
In a video obtained from the event on Tuesday, a cameraman was seen carrying a tripod and attempting to move in front of the President, apparently to record him. Moments later, the President was seen tripping, possibly over a cable or rope attached to the camera equipment, which may have caused the fall.
The President, who had travelled to Turkey to strengthen bilateral ties and explore new areas of cooperation, was helped to his feet by several aides immediately after the incident.
Earlier footage from the same event showed the President being guided by his counterpart as he walked down a short set of steps before the reception parade began.
While the incident has sparked discussions among concerned Nigerians questioning his health, the State House has yet to release a statement on the fall or clarify whether the President is experiencing stress or other issues, deepening public concern.
This is not the first time the President has been captured falling on national television. During a ceremony marking the June 12 Democracy Day in 2024, he fell while mounting the parade vehicle at Eagle Square.
On that occasion, the President missed a step and tripped as he entered the open-roof vehicle, but his security aides quickly came to his aid.
He later addressed the incident at a dinner commemorating Democracy Day, describing the fall as “swagger” and reacting to the social media attention it generated.
“Early this morning, I had a swagger, and it’s on social media. People are confused whether I was doing buga or babbaringa, but it is a day to celebrate democracy while performing dobale. I am a traditional Yoruba boy; I did my dobale,” he said
