President Tinubu Clarifies ‘Stumble’ Incident as Traditional Gesture on Democracy Day
President Bola Tinubu has addressed the viral incident that occurred during the 2024 Democracy Day celebrations, clarifying that what appeared as a stumble was actually a deliberate traditional gesture known as ‘dobale’ in Yoruba culture.
During the event held at Eagle Square on Wednesday, cameras captured President Tinubu seemingly stumbling as he ascended a parade vehicle.
However, speaking at the Democracy Day dinner night at the Presidential Villa, Tinubu explained that his actions were intentional and rooted in Yoruba tradition.
Addressing the humorous speculations surrounding the incident, President Tinubu joked about the confusion it caused, stating, “Early this morning, I had a swagger and it’s on social media. They’re confused whether I was doing bugger or babariga.
But it is a day to celebrate democracy, why doing dobale on the day? I’m a traditional Yoruba boy. I did my dobale.”
The clarification comes amidst various reactions to the incident, including remarks from prominent figures like Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election.
Obi emphasized the naturalness of such incidents, acknowledging that slips can happen to anyone, regardless of strength or stature.
