Hundreds of thousands people come Bauchi for northeast Nigeria on the afternoon of November 28; dem pack Eid Ground full and even scatter enter town — na one of the biggest burial gatherings wey the country don see for recent times.

Na mourners wey come from all over Nigeria and from other countries too, including delegations from Morocco, Mauritania, Cameroon, Niger, Benin and Chad, wey gather for the burial of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, the 98-year-old Islamic scholar wey die the day before.

Vice President Kashim Shettima lead Nigeria official delegation, and him predecessor Atiku Abubakar together with governors from across the North dey present.

The crowd wey show shock many people, especially those wey no too sabi the life and teachings of the late scholar and the strong influence of the Tijaniyyah movement wey he lead.

For Nigerian Muslims, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi no be only religious scholar wey spend decades dey study and teach Islam — e be institution with legacy of scholarship, moral guidance and social service wey affect generations.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi serve as deputy head of the fatwa committee for the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the umbrella body of Islamic organisations for the country.

Every year for Ramadan for Kaduna, people dey wonder as him dey give tafsir (Quran commentary) complete from memory; e don dey do am since 1948, 76 years straight until him last days.

Spiritual roots

E born on June 29, 1927 for northeast Nigeria. Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi start him Islamic education under him father before e begin long journey wey last him whole life, travel many places to pursue top spiritual scholarship.

E study under some of the world's most respected Islamic scholars, including Sheikh Tijani Usman Zangon-Bare-Bari, Shaykh Abubakar Atiku and Sheikh Abdulqadir Zaria, and finally e settle for the Tijaniyyah spiritual path. Him father sef na Tijani scholar.

As leader of the Tijaniyyah, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi influence stretch far beyond Nigeria. Him Sufi order get plenty followers for West Africa, the Maghreb and even reach as far as Tamil Nadu for India.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi dey often refer to the late Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse (1900-1975) — one of the most influential Islamic scholars of the 20th century and the first West African wey lead prayers at Egypt's Al-Azhar Mosque — as him guiding light.

E marry one of Niasse daughters, so e become part of the family and also inherit the Tijaniyyah spiritual legacy.

By the time e reach him nineties, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi don become patriarch of a big clan running into hundreds, while him still lead a school of Islamic theology wey span continents.

Im vision

Relationship wey Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi get with the Quran pass only exegesis.

E establish about 600 schools wey dey focus on Quran memorisation across northern Nigeria, Niger Republic, Cameroon, Benin and Ghana. These schools become known for producing strong reciters of the Quran, some as young as ten years old wey fit recite the whole Quran by heart.

His influence strong sotey Bauchi State government declare November 28 public holiday so people fit pay their last respects to the late Islamic scholar and spiritual leader at him funeral.

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune both hail am as spiritual beacon whose influence shape generations.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar describe Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi death as 'a monumental loss to Nigeria and the African continent', saying say him be voice of reason wey the country and region need as times dey become more divisive.

The legacy of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi dey live on through hundreds of schools and 76 years of uninterrupted teaching, wey show the life he dedicate to explain the wisdom of the Quran.