Methodological Seminar "Ethnography of Prayer Commodification: Field Encounters, Methodological Challenges, and Theoretical Reflections from Ibadan"

On 11 December 2025, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Moruff Mudasiru from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan, who delivered a thought-provoking presentation titled: “Ethnography of Prayer Commodification: Field Encounters, Methodological Challenges, and Theoretical Reflections from Ibadan.”

Drawing on his ethnographic research on Jálàbí, the Islamic petitionary prayer in Ibadan, Dr. Mudasiru took us deep into the realities of fieldwork - highlighting issues of trust-building, ethical dilemmas, unexpected encounters and what it truly means to practice ethnography in complex social settings. His use of a hermeneutic theoretical framework offered rich insights into the symbolic and economic dimensions of prayer practices, making important connections to the anthropology of Islam.