After Entering Holy Ka’abah, Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment to Leading Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu has said his prayer for the opportunity to continue serving as Nigeria’s President has been answered by Almighty Allah, following his recent spiritual visit to Saudi Arabia.

The President made the remarks on Monday while recounting his experience performing Umrah in the Kingdom, where he was granted permission to enter the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah and offer prayers alongside members of the Nigerian delegation.

Tinubu expressed appreciation to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and his delegation the rare opportunity.

He described the experience as a historic spiritual privilege and a reflection of the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the President into the Ka’abah, where Tinubu said he prayed in gratitude for the opportunity to lead Nigeria and asked Allah for wisdom and resilience to continue serving the country.

“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.

The President also recalled performing Umrah before the 2023 general election, saying he had promised to return and express gratitude if his prayers were answered.

“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,” Tinubu said.

Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, which states that Allah grants and withdraws sovereignty as He wills, the President described political authority as a responsibility that must be exercised with humility and accountability.

He stressed that no position of power is permanent and that leaders must recognise their responsibility to serve the people entrusted to their care.

Tinubu said his emergence as President among millions of Nigerians was a special blessing from God, which he intended to repay through dedicated service.

He further declared that his commitment to Nigeria had grown stronger, promising to pursue policies and programmes aimed at promoting prosperity, national development 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,” he stated.

On the economy, the President expressed confidence in the progress recorded under his administration, describing the country’s economic foundation as solid and its movement out of 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 also emphasised the need for sustained investment in young Nigerians, warning that the decisions taken by present leaders would shape how future generations assess their legacy.

According to him, building a better future for young people must remain a priority if the country is to achieve lasting development.

“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,” Tinubu added.