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President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s development, declaring that his determination to build a prosperous country has grown stronger as he seeks divine wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians.
Tinubu made the declaration during his recent spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, known as Umrah, where he was granted access to the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah to offer prayers.
According to a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his Nigerian delegation access to the sacred site.
Describing the experience as historic, Tinubu said it reflected the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
“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,” he said.
He described the opportunity to pray inside the Ka’abah as a rare spiritual privilege, adding: “It is an honour that I enjoyed, and it is gracious of them to have allowed me to enter inside the Ka’abah. This is history.”
The President disclosed that his prayers centred on obtaining wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his supplications had been answered.
“Well, I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted,” he said.
Tinubu recalled his previous Umrah pilgrimage before the 2023 presidential election, saying he had prayed for Allah’s blessings and promised to return to express gratitude.
Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, he said political power belonged ultimately to Almighty Allah, who could grant or withdraw authority. He stressed that leadership should be treated as a trust exercised with humility, responsibility and commitment to the welfare of the people.
“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, saying the position came with a significant responsibility to serve 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.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to national development, Tinubu said he remained determined to pursue policies and programmes that would strengthen the economy and improve the country’s prosperity.
“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,” he declared.
On the economy, the President expressed optimism about the country’s outlook, describing the foundation laid by his administration as solid and the progress recorded as encouraging.
“The foundation is solid, and the economy has come out of the dark tunnel. This is inspiring,” he said.
He also called for greater investment in young Nigerians, warning that the choices made by present leaders would shape how future generations judged their performance.
“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,” he added.
Tinubu said 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.
Other members of the delegation who expressed gratitude for the spiritual experience included Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate; and governors of Borno, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe and Kwara states.
Business leaders, including BUA Group Chairman, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Oando Chief Executive Officer, Wale Tinubu, were also part of the delegation.
