President Bola Tinubu has departed Saudi Arabia for Abuja after concluding his week-long lesser pilgrimage in Makkah. His plane left the Royal Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah at 5:13 p.m. local time on Wednesday, according to Punch.
Before his plane took off, Tinubu had a short meeting at the Royal Guest Palace inside the airport grounds with Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region. The Saudi prince, along with Nigeria’s Ambassador Yakubu Gambo and Consul-General Muazam Ibrahim Nayaya, saw the President off at the runway.
Tinubu began his spiritual journey late last week, leading his delegation through the customary Umrah rituals, including circumambulating the Holy Ka’abah. A major moment during the trip happened on Sunday, when Saudi monarch King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud allowed the Nigerian leader to enter the interior of the Ka’abah, where Tinubu and his officials offered two raka'at prayers.
While inside the holy site, the President prayed for lasting peace, national stability, and economic growth for Nigeria. He also sought divine direction to guide his leadership, later expressing gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for welcoming his delegation with special honours.
Reflecting on leadership during an interview on Friday, Tinubu stated that only God decides the fate and future of any person. He also hosted a dinner for his team on Sunday, where he shared his hope that Nigeria's rich cultural diversity would become a pathway to prosperity.
The spiritual journey came shortly after Tinubu launched his re-election campaign in Kaduna on October 24 ahead of the scheduled January 2027 polls. Senior officials who travelled with the President back to Abuja included National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and the governors of Kaduna, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno, and Yobe States.
