President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his resolve and determination to build a prosperous nation, invest in the future of young Nigerians and pursue development in line with the will of Almighty Allah and the aspirations of the people.
A statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed that Tinubu made the remarks on Monday while reflecting on his spiritual journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.
During the visit, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, granted him the rare privilege of leading Nigeria’s delegation in prayers inside the Holy Ka’aba.
Tinubu left Nigeria last week to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
At the Ka’aba, President 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.
Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the President into the Ka’aba.
Revealing his supplications to God, Tinubu said he asked Allah for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.
He said: “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.”
Reflecting on the message from the Holy Qur’an in Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26, which affirms that Almighty Allah is the Owner of all sovereignty, granting power and authority to whom He wills and taking them away from whom He wills, the President said power was a trust that must be exercised responsibly, with humility and in the service of the people.
He noted that no position of authority was permanent and that ultimate sovereignty belonged to Almighty Allah.
“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,’” the President said, quoting the words of the Qur’an.
President Tinubu said his faith in Allah had strengthened his conviction that his emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary blessing that must be matched with dedicated service to the country.
“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.
“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.”
Appraising the state of the economy under his administration, President Tinubu described the economic 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 maintained, however, that nation-building required sustained investment in the future of young Nigerians, noting that decisions taken by today’s leaders would determine how future generations remembered 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,” the President added.
Tinubu thanked 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 opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’aba in Makkah and offer prayers to Almighty Allah.
The President described the honour as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual experience, reflecting the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Nigeria and the Kingdom of 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’aba 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 royal Crown Prince.
“It is an honour that I enjoyed, and it is gracious of them to have allowed me to enter inside the Ka’aba. This is history,” the President said.
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