President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to Project Nigeria, pledging to build a prosperous nation and invest in the future of young Nigerians in line with the will of Almighty Allah and the aspirations of the people.
The President spoke on Monday while reflecting on his spiritual journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, during which the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, granted him the rare privilege of leading Nigeria’s delegation to pray inside the Holy Ka’bah.
At the Ka’bah, President Tinubu offered prayers of gratitude to Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
He was led into the Ka’bah by Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram.
President Tinubu thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his delegation the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’bah in Makkah.
He described the honour as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual experience that reflects the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual respect 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.
“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 Crown Prince.
“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 said.
President 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,” he said.
Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26, which affirms that Almighty Allah is the Owner of all sovereignty, the President said power is a trust that must be exercised with humility and responsibility.
“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, quoting the Qur’an.
President Tinubu said his emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary favour from Allah that must be matched with dedicated service.
“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.
He said his commitment to Project Nigeria had become even stronger, assuring Nigerians of his resolve to pursue policies that promote prosperity and shared progress.
“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, describing the foundation as solid and the country’s 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 stressed that nation-building requires sustained investment in the youth.
“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,” he added.
The President thanked Allah for the opportunity to lead Nigeria and reaffirmed his determination to justify the confidence Nigerians have placed in him.
Apparently moved by emotion, members of the delegation including the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, Governors of Borno, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe and Kwara States, as well as captains of industry including Chairman of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and CEO of Oando, Wale Tinubu, expressed gratitude to Allah and the President for the opportunity to enter and pray with him in Islam’s most sacred mosque, according to a statement issued on Monday by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information & Strategy.
