PhD Program, Department of Religion
Dr. Wemimo Jaiyesimi
- Professional Doctorate in Interfaith Studies, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Wemimo Jaiyesimi's dissertation examines the political and ethical significance of Christian prayer during the 2020 #EndSARS protests in Nigeria. These protests, sparked by widespread police brutality under the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), saw a notable presence of Pentecostal Christians who engaged in public prayer, gospel singing, and spiritual expressions alongside secular demonstrators. Wemimo’s dissertation examines this convergence of faith and activism, arguing that prayer in this context was not merely devotional but a powerful political act that expressed solidarity, demanded justice, and sought divine intervention in national affairs.
The dissertation challenges conventional academic treatments of prayer as solely spiritual or private by highlighting its role in shaping public ethics and political engagement. Through a political theological lens, Wemimo shows how prayer can be a transformative force—both personally and societally—by fostering hope, articulating moral demands, and envisioning a more just world. The work also engages with sociological and anthropological critiques of public prayer, acknowledging its potential for exclusion or harm, while proposing theological criteria for discerning when prayer contributes constructively to public life.
What sets this research apart is its focus on liturgical practices occurring in shared, non-religious spaces, such as protest grounds, rather than within traditional church settings. By analyzing how Christian expressions of faith operate in these common arenas, Wemimo raises profound questions about the church’s presence and witness in the world. The dissertation ultimately contributes to broader conversations in Christian ethics, political theology, and public religion by demonstrating how prayer can serve as both a spiritual discipline and a catalyst for social transformation.
What Faculty Say
It’s been a joy to direct him, which mostly means trying to keep up with him, since he’s directed by his own abilities, ambition and expectations for himself, and in this case, by his own hopes and experiences as a Nigerian Christian navigating both his world and ours. There are few more inspiring stories on the Baylor campus, and few more important dissertations in Christian theology. - Dr. Jonathan Tran, Wemimo's dissertation advisor
