By Turaki Hassan
It is with a deep feeling of loss and utter shock that I write these few lines.
I am still unable to come to terms with the reality of the untimely and sudden death of Reverend David Ayuba Azzaman, whom I have known and related with very closely for years now.
It was a friend who forwarded a Facebook link of Pastor Mohammed Mohammed announcing the demise of Reverend Azzaman on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, I did not open the link until 4:30 p.m. due to my busy schedule, and lo and behold, there before me was this news that totally paralysed and left me shattered for days.
I have followed Reverend Azzaman’s activities on social media for years. I also visited him at home a number of times. Hardly did a month pass without us speaking on one issue or the other—politics, religion, the economy, and even social life. He used to relate his life experiences before being called to ministry and even some divine encounters and revelations he received to me.
He was a good and kindhearted man. I admired his deep intellectual expositions. He was fearless, courageous, and yet humble. He cared for and loved all unconditionally. Although his ministry was short-lived, his impact has been felt across the world.
His journey to faith was transformative. In 2015, he openly confessed to leaving behind a life of drinking, smoking, and womanising. By 2016, he had enrolled in Rhema Bible College, and in 2017, he was ordained as a pastor. His testimony served as a beacon of hope for many, illustrating the power of redemption.
Reverend Azzaman was a fearless advocate for justice, especially concerning the persecution of Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. He criticised both local and international media for their silence on what he described as an ongoing genocide against Christians. He also called out the Nigerian government’s inaction, highlighting the systematic failure to protect vulnerable communities.
Despite internal and external threats and opposition to his work, he remained resolute, undeterred, unperturbed, and moved on as a soldier worthy of his calling.
Indeed, one’s impact is not measured by the number of years spent on earth but by the impact made, lives touched, and the legacy built and left behind. Reverend Azzaman received the call to ministry late, but he fought a good fight, and a crown of glory awaits him. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me, a crown of righteousness…”
— 2 Timothy 4:7–8 (KJV)
He lived a saint, died a saint, and undoubtedly is now resting with the Lord Jesus Christ. His ministry was short-lived, his life was cut short, but heaven rejoices. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
— Philippians 1:21 (KJV)
I have seen many of our Muslim brothers and sisters sending messages of condolences and mourning with the church and the family. May God bless them all. Azzaman never wished anyone evil, let alone dead. He had many close Muslim friends, including renowned Islamic clerics.
He challenged our intellectual docility, especially in this part of the country where it is considered heresy to delve so deep into the study of the holy books and the scriptures. Many Christians of the Orthodox denomination in the North discovered themselves through his teachings and writings. His demise is a great loss to the body of Christ.
To those who rejoiced and gloated over his death, may I remind you:
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
— Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)
Nobody will live forever. All of us shall die and give account to God.
As we mourn his loss, we also celebrate his legacy. May the God who raised Reverend David Ayuba Azzaman raise many more like him—individuals committed to truth, justice, and love.
It is our prayer that the God who raised Rev. Azzaman shall also raise thousands like him—and even greater—from Southern Kaduna and across the North, in Jesus’ mighty and glorious name. Amen.
