President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s development after performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia, where he prayed inside the Holy Ka’abah for wisdom and resilience to serve Nigerians.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to national development and the pursuit of prosperity, saying he remains determined to build a stronger Nigeria, invest in young people and govern in line with the aspirations of the people.
The President made this known on Monday while reflecting on his spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj, Umrah, during which he and members of his Nigerian delegation were granted access to pray inside the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah.
Tinubu thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of the delegation the rare opportunity.
Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the President into the Ka’abah, where Tinubu offered prayers of gratitude to Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving as Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Describing the experience as historic and deeply significant, the President said the gesture reflected the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, built on friendship, mutual respect and cooperation.
“I want to say a big thank you for the faith, for the recognition. I can’t believe the fencing of the Ka’abah is in Green-White-Green, which reminds us of the Nigerian identity.
“I thank the Crown Prince and all the administrators of the holy land. I thank them for the hospitality and recognition given to me as the leader of the delegation and the country.
“We are all facing challenges and hostility around us. We will overcome them with faith in God Almighty. I’m grateful forever. I thank the King and the royal Crown Prince,” he said.
Tinubu said he prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.
“Well, I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted. Before the 2023 election, I did the same thing. I asked Allah to bless my Umrah then, and He did. And I promised that I would come back to thank Him,” the President said.
Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, which affirms that Almighty Allah has ultimate sovereignty and gives or withdraws power as He wills, Tinubu said political authority should be treated as a trust and exercised responsibly.
He stressed that leadership must be guided by humility, conscience and service to the people, noting that no position of authority is permanent.
“There is no other God but Almighty Allah. He is the giver and the taker. He owns power and authority. He says, ‘If I give you, use it well. If you don’t use it in accordance with my dictates, I can take it from you and give it to another person. I am the only One who has that authority,” he said.
The President described his emergence as Nigeria’s leader as a special blessing from Allah, which he said must be matched with dedicated service to the country.
“I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour. Out of many millions of people, to be the President and Commander-in-Chief is a favour that only Almighty God can do to a human being,” he stated.
Tinubu said the spiritual experience had further strengthened his commitment to Project Nigeria and his determination to pursue policies and programmes that would promote prosperity and national development.
“My commitment to Project Nigeria is higher. I am determined to usher in prosperity and fully develop the country, consistent with the wish of Allah and the support of the people.
“It is important to put Allah first, then move on. Follow your conscience. Follow the right path that will lead Nigeria to that greatness,” he said.
On the economy, the President expressed optimism about the progress made under his administration, describing the country’s economic foundation as solid and its emergence from a difficult period as encouraging.
“The foundation is solid, and the economy has come out of the dark tunnel. This is inspiring,” he said.
He, however, emphasised that sustained investment in young Nigerians was essential to the country’s long-term development, adding that the decisions taken by current leaders would shape how future generations remember them.
“We need to build a future for our youth. If we don’t invest in their future, how do we want to be remembered as leaders 50 years from now? That’s the main thing. So this is a rare privilege to lead the country,” Tinubu added.
The President reiterated that his administration would continue to focus on strengthening the economy, expanding opportunities for young people and creating an environment where Nigerians could realise their potential.
He also thanked Almighty Allah for the opportunity to lead the country, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in him by Nigerians through purposeful leadership and sustained commitment to national progress.
Meanwhile, Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate; and the governors of Borno, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe and Kwara states expressed gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to enter the Ka’abah and pray alongside the President.
Captains of industry, including BUA Chairman, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Oando Chief Executive Officer, Wale Tinubu, were also among members of the delegation who expressed appreciation for the spiritual experience.
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