President Bola Tinubu on Sunday offered prayers for the country’s prosperity.
Tinubu prayed during a dinner with governors and senior government officials accompanying him on his lesser pilgrimage to Makkah.
He also received tributes from members of his delegation who described the trip as a moment of collective supplication ahead of the 2027 elections.
“May God bless Nigeria and convert our diversity to prosperity as a country,” the President said at the dinner, the third in a series of gatherings held since the delegation arrived in the holy city.
The dinner brought together governors, cabinet ministers, and business leaders who had accompanied Tinubu on the spiritual journey that began on Thursday night, October 30, when the President arrived in the sacred city and completed his Umrah at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, in the early hours of Friday.
BUA Group Chairman, Abdulsamad Rabiu, who spoke at the dinner, said the delegation had held nightly discussions centred on prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, and prosperity since arriving.
Rabiu said, “Today is actually the third dinner we’re having with His Excellency, Mr President.
“Since we came to Mecca on Thursday night or Friday morning, we discussed, and the discussion was one, to always continue to pray for Nigeria, for peace, for unity, and for Nigeria’s prosperity.”
He said the trip had afforded members of the delegation an opportunity to return to the Kaaba and use the pilgrimage to deepen their commitment to the President’s vision for the country.
“We used the occasion to thank His Excellency for graciously inviting us to accompany him to Mecca, the sacred city, and to also have the opportunity to go and enter the Kaaba again. It has allowed us to pray not only for ourselves and for our families, but for Nigeria,” he said.
Rabiu added, “Mr President is very passionate about the country. He is doing everything; he is working very hard, and we will continue to support him.”
Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, conveyed the sentiments of the governors present, describing the occasion as one that had left the delegation moved.
“On behalf of my colleagues and myself, we are overwhelmed.
“When Allah can reward you, we continue to pray for you daily, pray for Nigeria that you lead, and pray that Allah strengthens you in making the right decisions; strengthens your wisdom, your boldness, your audacity, your courage. May Allah guide you on the right path,” AbdulRazaq said.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, offered a personal prayer for the President, noting that even the most accomplished individuals carried private aspirations known only to God.
He said, “No matter how highly placed, no matter how much you have achieved in life, there will always be one or two other things that you seek from Allah, private to you, whatever they are. May Allah continue to answer your prayers.”
The dinner was the final gathering of the nightly ritual of reflection and prayer between the President and his delegation during the Makkah visit.
Tinubu had earlier completed his Umrah in the early hours of Friday, circling the Holy Ka’abah in worship and thanksgiving before speaking to journalists about the spiritual significance of the trip, which he described as deeply meaningful given that he had also visited Makkah before the 2023 presidential election that brought him to power.
“I believe in the love of the people, the commitment to the job, and the physical commitment to it.
“I believe that Allah’s wish in His court must prevail. And there’s no other God but Allah. Allah is the only one who can define a human being, what he will be, and what he will become,” the President had said on Friday.
Last Wednesday, Tinubu had presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting before departing for Saudi Arabia.
The visit comes a week after he officially flagged off his re-election campaign in Kaduna on October 24, as he seeks a second term in the January 16, 2027 general elections.