President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s development, declaring that his determination to build a prosperous country has become stronger following his spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia.
The President said he remained determined to pursue policies and programmes that would strengthen the economy, expand opportunities for young Nigerians and advance the country’s development.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu made the declaration on Monday while reflecting on his recent Umrah pilgrimage to Makkah, where he was reportedly granted the rare privilege of entering the Holy Ka’abah to offer prayers.
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The President thanked 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 and deeply cherished, Tinubu said it reflected the longstanding friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
He also expressed gratitude to the Saudi authorities for the opportunity to pray inside the Ka’abah, describing the experience as a rare spiritual privilege.
“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,” he said.
Tinubu 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,” the President said.
He recalled undertaking an earlier Umrah pilgrimage before the 2023 presidential election, during which he prayed for Allah’s blessings and promised to return to express gratitude.
Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, Tinubu highlighted the sovereignty of Almighty Allah and the belief that power and political authority ultimately belong to God.
He said the authority entrusted to political leaders should be exercised with humility, responsibility and dedication to the welfare of the people.
The President described his emergence as Nigeria’s leader and Commander-in-Chief as a special blessing from Almighty Allah, stressing that the position came with an enormous responsibility to serve the country.
Reaffirming his administration’s development agenda, Tinubu declared that his commitment to what he described as Project Nigeria had become stronger.
“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.
He urged Nigerians to put Almighty Allah first, follow their conscience and remain committed to the right path towards national greatness.
On the economy, Tinubu expressed optimism about the country’s economic 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.
The President also emphasised the importance of investing in young Nigerians, warning that 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,” he added.
He reiterated that his administration would continue prioritising economic growth, expanding opportunities for young people and creating an enabling environment for Nigerians to realise their potential.
Members of the Nigerian delegation who also expressed gratitude for the spiritual experience included the 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 among the delegation.
