It’s a life blessing’ – BUA boss describes entering Holy Kaaba with President Tinubu

Mr Abdulsamad Rabiu and President Tinubu

The Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul-Samad Rabiu, has described entering the interior of the Holy Kaaba alongside President Bola Tinubu as a profound, once-in-a-lifetime spiritual milestone.

In a statement issued on Facebook, the billionaire industrialist recalled the visit to Islam’s holiest site in Makkah on Sunday, expressing humility and gratitude for being among those granted access to the sacred chamber alongside the Nigerian president.

“Some moments in life are beyond words, moments that touch the soul and remain forever engraved in the heart.

“Alhamdulillah, today I was profoundly humbled and blessed to be among those granted the extraordinary honour of entering the Holy Kaaba alongside His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR”, he posted on Facebook.

Mr Rabiu described the encounter as a defining moment of divine grace, reflecting that the privilege served as an avenue to offer fervent prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, and economic progress.

“In that most sacred of places, my thoughts and prayers were not only for myself and my family, but for our entire nation. May Almighty Allah accept our prayers and bless our beloved nation with lasting peace, unity, and prosperity,” he added.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime blessing, an honour beyond measure, and a moment of divine grace that will remain etched in my heart for as long as I live.

“This deeply sacred experience was one of immense gratitude, reflection, and renewed faith in the infinite mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah. May Almighty Allah accept our prayers and bless our beloved nation with lasting peace, unity, and prosperity”, Mr Rabiu stated.

The interior of the Kaaba is one of the most exclusive and strictly regulated diplomatic and spiritual sites in the world.

Unlike general pilgrimage sites in the Grand Mosque, the Kaaba is closed to the public year-round and is unsealed only under rare, highly ceremonial circumstances.

Under Saudi protocol, the door of the Kaaba cannot be unlocked without a direct royal order issued by the King of Saudi Arabia—the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques—or the Crown Prince, Muhammad Bin Salman.

Opening the Kaaba for a visiting foreign Muslim president is regarded as the highest mark of spiritual respect and bilateral esteem the Kingdom can bestow.

Even with royal approval, Saudi authorities strictly uphold a 1,400-year-old Islamic tradition regarding physical access.

The physical custody of the Kaaba and its key remains exclusively with the Bani Shaybah (Al-Shaibi) family, in accordance with the historical decree made by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) after the conquest of Makkah.

Before the door is opened, the family’s senior custodian is formally summoned to lead the physical ceremony, accompany the dignitaries, and oversee the locking mechanism.

When the golden door is opened, the general authority for the care of the Two Holy Mosques (Makkah and Madinah) deploys a mobile ceremonial staircase to the elevated threshold.

Stringent security cordons are established across the Mataf (the circumambulation area) to maintain order.

Inside, guests typically perform voluntary prayers facing any of the four walls, followed by moments of supplication, before the door is resealed.

President Tinubu was the second Nigerian president in the Fourth Republic to enjoy the rare privilege after his predecessor, the late President Muhammadu Buhari.