President Bola Tinubu has pledged renewed commitment to national development, saying his spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia has strengthened his resolve to serve Nigerians with wisdom, resilience and humility.
Tinubu made the pledge on Monday after performing Umrah, the lesser Hajj, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he was granted the rare privilege of entering the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah to pray.
The President thanked Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of the Nigerian delegation access to the sacred site.
He described the experience as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual honour, which further reflected the longstanding friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
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.
The President said he prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue serving the people, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.
Reflecting on Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, Tinubu noted that ultimate sovereignty belonged to Almighty Allah, who grants and withdraws power according to His will.
He said the scriptural message reinforced the need for leaders to exercise authority responsibly, with humility and in the interest of the people, recognising that no position of power was permanent.
Tinubu described his emergence as Nigeria’s leader as an extraordinary blessing from Allah, which he said must be matched with dedicated service to the country.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Project Nigeria, promising to pursue policies and programmes that would promote prosperity, national development and shared progress.
The President also expressed optimism about the country’s economic outlook, describing the economic foundation as solid and Nigeria’s emergence from a difficult period as encouraging.
He, however, stressed the need for sustained investment in young Nigerians, warning that decisions taken by present leaders would shape how future generations remember them.
Tinubu said his determination to build a prosperous nation and invest in the future of Nigerian youths remained strong, adding that national development must align with the will of Almighty Allah and the aspirations of the people.
Other members of the delegation also expressed gratitude to Allah and the President for the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’abah and pray at Islam’s most sacred site.
The Chief Executive Officer of Matrix Group, AbdulKadir Aliu, was among those who expressed appreciation for the spiritual privilege.
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