X image showing Tinubu, Macron, others clad in Aso-Oke, manipulated 

Claim: An X user shared an image of President Tinubu with the French president and others, clad in aso-oke during an international visit.

Verdict: Misleading! Contrary to the impression created by the X user, the picture has been digitally manipulated, as President Tinubu and others in the picture appeared in corporate dress in the original version. 

Full Text 

In November, President Bola Tinubu and his host, President Emmanuel Macron of France, took to social media to exchange pleasantries in Pidgin, the street language popular among millions of Nigerians, during an official visit. 

Contributing to the discussion of the friendly exchange between the two leaders online,   the former senior special assistant on public affairs to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, @Doyin Okupe, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, shared on X an image of Tinubu and others during the visit to the French president in traditional attire. 

“This show of warmth by the French President is very heartwarming. We welcome a new Nigerian-French relation. God bless our President Asiwaju,” the claimant added to the post. 

As of Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, the picture had gained over 443,000 views, 1,526 likes, 232 reposts, 37 quotes, and 78 bookmarks.

We surveyed the post’s comment section and observed that other X users doubted the image’s authenticity, suggesting it had been digitally altered.

@NonsoEzeani1 wrote: “Sir; this is photoshopped. You shouldn’t lend your endorsement to it.”

Another X user, @Uptownoflagos, asserted, “Sir Dr. Doyin, this is Photoshop. Please bring it down ASAP.”

Reacting, @Rilwan_ola01 stated: “You’re also dabbling with a Photoshop image. What a tragic ending to a political career.”

To forestall the possibility of online falsehood with the two important leaders at the centre of it, DUBAWA decided to authenticate the picture.

Verification 

DUBAWA analysed the image by subjecting it to a Google Reverse Image Search, which led us to similar images on Meta’s Instagram, as seen here and here. 

Using the post’s caption, we carried out a keyword search on President Tinubu’s recent trip to France and came across various credible media outlets reporting the development. 

On Nov. 29, 2024, Punch reported Mr Tinubu’s two-day visit to France to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. 

We observed that the outlet used the original picture of Mr Tinubu wearing native attire. The rest were in English dresses—President Macron in a navy blue suit, his wife in a coat, and Ms Oluremi in a blouse and skirt. 

Image of Brigitte Macron, President Bola Tinubu, French president, Emmanuel Macron, Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, during the state visit to France. Source: Punch. 

TheCable and France 24 reported similar accounts of the meeting between the two presidents.

Furthermore, DUBAWA looked through President Tinubu’s official X handle, and we came across the same picture showing the group clad in the same outfit mentioned above. 

Conclusion 

DUBAWA found that the original image and the one shared by the claimant were manipulated. The image is, therefore, misleading.