The passing of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi shook the nation in a way words can barely hold. Bauchi witnessed a scene history will struggle to forget, millions gathered, from ordinary citizens to scholars, traditional rulers, state governors, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Vice President of Kashim Shettima, leading the federal government’s delegation. It wasn’t a crowd built by influence. It wasn’t politics. It wasn’t power.

It was a divine honour given only by Allah to His chosen servants.

One elderly man at the funeral said, “What I saw today with my eyes… if Allah does not honour you, you cannot receive the kind of favour Maulana Sheikh received. This matter is beyond politics or chieftaincy. It is purely from Allah.”

And truly, the atmosphere testified to that.

For decades, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi stood as a bridge between generations. The number of people who embraced Islam through him is known only to Allah. The number of students who memorised the Qur’an under his guidance defies calculation. This, more than titles, wealth or recognition, is the legacy of a life well spent.

Yes, we feel the sting of his departure. But even in our grief, gratitude rises.

Alhamdulillah for a man whose end came with honour, whose journey was marked by service, and whose impact will continue to shape hearts long after today.

He lived well. He left well.

May Allah widen his resting place.

May his light continue to guide those he left behind.

And may we live in ways that make our own children proud, just as millions were proud to call him their teacher, leader and father. Amin.