The Christian community, civil society, and countless voiceless Nigerians are in mourning following the tragic death of Rev. David Ayuba Azzaman, who passed away in a fatal motor accident on Saturday, May 24, 2025, while returning from a soul-winning crusade in Makurdi, Benue State. His passing is not only a loss to the church but to every conscience that still believes in truth, justice, and equity.
Born in 1971, Rev. Azzaman was a rare blend of scholarship, compassion, and courage. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and graduated from Rhema Bible College, Kaduna Campus in 2017. At the time of his passing, he was pursuing a Master’s in Philosophy with the Prof. Yusuf Turaki Foundation, further exemplifying his thirst for spiritual depth and intellectual grounding.
Before his ordination into full-time ministry in 2017, he served Nigeria diligently in the education and banking sectors, working at the defunct Lion Bank and later at Diamond Bank (now Access Bank). But it was in ministry that Rev. Azzaman truly came into his own. As founder and Senior Pastor of The King Worship Chapel and Ministry, Inc. in Kaduna, he preached a gospel that was both soul-saving and society-changing.
Rev. Azzaman was not a preacher who stayed silent in the comfort of the pulpit while the world around him burned. He took his faith to the streets, to the airwaves, and to the virtual town squares of Facebook and YouTube, challenging the moral failures of the nation’s leadership and calling out systemic injustice with unmatched boldness.
He fearlessly confronted former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, holding him accountable for what he termed the government’s shameful silence and mishandling of the relentless Fulani Ethnic Militia attacks on the indigenous Christian communities of Southern Kaduna. When many voices trembled in fear or were silenced by political correctness, Azzaman roared like a lion for justice.
He also stood toe-to-toe in critique of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, calling out what he saw as the marginalization and systematic exclusion of Christians from key positions in national leadership. He decried policies and appointments that tilted Nigeria dangerously along religious and ethnic lines, warning that such practices eroded the foundation of national unity.
Even more, Rev. Azzaman extended his prophetic voice to defend marginalized youth, especially from Nigeria’s Southeast. In a country often quick to stigmatize Igbo youth or dismiss their frustrations, he stood with them, challenging narratives that branded an entire generation as threats rather than citizens with legitimate grievances. His love for justice transcended tribal boundaries.
But his legacy does not lie in advocacy alone. Rev. Azzaman was a man of immense compassion. Quietly and without fanfare, he provided financial support to widows, sponsored the education of orphans, and helped rehabilitate internally displaced persons from conflict-ridden areas. His church in Kaduna became a sanctuary not only for worshippers but for the weary and forgotten—those whom society had cast aside. He housed the homeless, clothed the naked, and fed the hungry. He lived out the gospel in the most tangible ways.
He was also a prolific author and teacher, producing literature that deepened believers’ understanding of Scripture and equipped them to stand firm in a world hostile to righteousness. His online teachings garnered thousands of views, and his sharp doctrinal insights drew both admiration and opposition. He did not preach popularity—he preached truth.
In 2021, he received the Christian Advocacy Award and was later honored with the Harbinger of Christ to the World Award in 2022—both recognitions of his unrelenting commitment to Christ and country.
Rev. Azzaman is survived by his loving wife, Agatha Raymond Angani, and their four children: Ann, Irene, Asa, and Jada. To them, he was a doting father and faithful husband. To the church, he was a shepherd. To Nigeria, he was a moral compass.
As tributes pour in from across the nation—from churches, civil society, the media, and even traditional institutions—the overwhelming message is clear: Rev. David Ayuba Azzaman was not just a pastor. He was a prophet. A watchman on the wall. A bridge between heaven’s truth and earth’s brokenness.
In an era where many have turned the gospel into a performance, he remained steadfast as a servant. In a generation where faith is often privatized, he made it public. And in a nation where silence has become convenient, he chose the dangerous path of courage.
We have lost a voice. But we have gained a legacy.
May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his life continue to inspire those of us still running the race for truth, justice, and a righteous nation.
Mike Odeh James is an investigative journalist, conflict reporter, and Former Bureau Chief of Atlantic Television Network in Abuja.
He writes extensively on faith, justice, and the role of the church in national transformation.
Mike currently writes for Truthnigeria .
He is the media Aide to late Rev David Ayuba Azzaman
