The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said that Turkish officials were surprised that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s brief stumble during his official visit to Turkey became a major news issue in Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa made this known on Wednesday, January 28, while reacting to a post on X by a user, Oguntoye Opeyemi, popularly known as Equityoyo, who criticised Nigerian media for amplifying the incident.
The X user noted that no Turkish media organisation reported the president’s accidental slip, describing the development as a non-issue in the host country.
“Not a single Turkish TV station reported the President’s accidental slip because it’s a non-issue. But Naija TV and national newspapers,” the user wrote.
Responding, Dabiri-Erewa confirmed that officials in Ankara expressed shock upon learning that the incident had gained traction in Nigerian media and blogs.
“Exactly. On ground here in Ankara, their officials were shocked to learn that it was an issue in Nigerian media/blogs,” she said.
She added that one Turkish official described the reportage as “silly and mischievous,” while stressing that Turkish media were focused on what they described as the remarkable success of President Tinubu’s visit.
According to her, the visit and its outcomes dominated media coverage in Turkey, reflecting the country’s excitement over the engagement.
