President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said Almighty Allah has answered his prayer for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, reaffirming his commitment to national development and his administration’s Project Nigeria agenda.
The President made this known on Monday while reflecting on his spiritual journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah), during which he was granted access to pray inside the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah.
Tinubu expressed appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his Nigerian delegation the rare opportunity.
Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the President into the Holy Ka’abah, where he offered prayers of gratitude to Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving as Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Describing the experience as historic and deeply significant, Tinubu said the gesture reflected the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He also expressed appreciation for the hospitality and recognition extended to him and the Nigerian delegation by the Saudi authorities.
“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,” the President said.
Reflecting on his prayers inside the sacred site, Tinubu said he sought divine wisdom and resilience to continue leading the country, expressing confidence that his request had been granted.
“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 stated.
The President also referenced Surah Aal-Imran, verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, which establishes Almighty Allah as the ultimate owner of sovereignty and the authority to grant and withdraw power.
He said the teachings of the verse reinforced the understanding that political authority is a trust that must be 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,” Tinubu said.
He described his emergence as Nigeria’s leader as a special blessing from God, noting that occupying the position of President among millions of Nigerians comes with a responsibility to deliver purposeful leadership.
“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 added.
Tinubu further declared that his commitment to Project Nigeria had become stronger, pledging 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 said.
On the economy, the President expressed optimism about the country’s economic outlook, describing the foundation laid by his administration as solid and saying the country had emerged from a difficult period.
“The foundation is solid, and the economy has come out of the dark tunnel. This is inspiring,” he stated.
He, however, stressed the importance of investing in young Nigerians, warning that the decisions taken by present leaders would determine 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. So this is a rare privilege to lead the country,” Tinubu said.
The President reiterated his determination to strengthen Nigeria’s economic foundations, expand opportunities for young people and create an environment that enables citizens to realise their potential.
He also urged Nigerians to place their faith in Almighty Allah, follow their conscience and pursue the right path towards national development.
