President Bola Tinubu has taken a light-hearted approach to his fall during the Democracy Day ceremony in Abuja on June 12, 2024. Despite the incident sparking widespread discussion on social media, Tinubu found humor in the situation while addressing it during the Democracy Day banquet later that evening.
In his jesting response, Tinubu quipped, “Early this morning, I had a swagger and it’s on the social media. They’re confused whether I was doing buga or doing babanriga. But it’s a day to celebrate democracy while doing dobale for the day. I’m a traditional Yoruba boy, I did my dobale.”
“Dobale” refers to a traditional Yoruba greeting and gesture of respect that involves assuming a prostrating position.
Despite the humorous tone, the fall prompted expressions of sympathy from political opponents such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, both of whom wished Tinubu well following the incident. They emphasized the need for compassion and unity despite political differences, highlighting the shared humanity in such moments.
Overall, Tinubu’s ability to laugh off the incident and his opponents’ gracious responses underscored a moment of levity amidst the serious political discourse surrounding Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebrations.