Barriers painted in Nigeria’s green-white-green national colours were temporarily erected around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca on Monday ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the sacred site.
Tinubu, who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser pilgrimage known as Umrah, was granted the rare privilege of entering the Kaaba to offer prayers. He was also pictured kissing the Black Stone during the rituals.
The barriers were installed as a gesture of honour for the Nigerian leader. Inside The Haramain, a platform covering the Two Holy Mosques, posted images of the fencing with the caption: “Barriers placed around the Ka’bah temporarily. The President of Nigeria will enter the Ka’bah later tonight.”
In a statement released by his spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu expressed gratitude to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the access granted to him and his delegation.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He described the opportunity to pray inside the Kaaba as historic.
“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 added.
Tinubu said he had prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians.
“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 said.
The president described his emergence as Nigeria’s leader as a divine favour that carries great responsibility.
“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.
Tinubu was accompanied by several Nigerian officials, including governors and senior ministers.
