The Ayandokun family of renowned Nigerian drummers is sounding rhythms of joy at the accomplishments of its son, Ayanwande Ayanlade Ayandokun, who was awarded his PhD from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute in a special hooding ceremony on Wednesday, July 31, 2013 in Arlington, Texas.
Ayan, from his early years, walked to the sound of a different beat, however, when he heard and followed God’s call to ministry as a youth. He attended the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Obomosho, Nigeria, earning a Diploma in Theology (1983), followed by the Bachelor of Theology (1991) and Master of Theology (1995) degrees. He then attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he concentrated his study in Evangelism at the PhD level. Ayan transferred to B. H. Carroll Theological Institute in 2011, where he completed his PhD degree in Evangelism and Missions. His degree was conferred upon him in absentia in May of 2013.
Ayandokun hooded by Drs. Bullock and Moore.
Dr. Solomon Ishola and Ayandokun.
Ayan’s Dissertation title is “An Analysis of the Partnership in Missions Between the Nigerian Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Convention of Texas From 2001 to 2011,” supervised by Dr. Solomon Ademola Ishola, Evangelism Lecturer at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Obomosho, Nigeria, and former General Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.As Ayan and his wife Esther were making plans to travel from Nigeria to the United States for the graduation ceremony in May, the US Embassy computers were not operable on the day of their scheduled interview. To their disappointment, they were unable to secure a visa in time for the Carroll Convocation. Six weeks later, the Ayandokuns finally secured their visas and were able to visit Carroll for their much-anticipated hooding and official conferring of the degree and diploma.
In a brief ceremony at the First Baptist Church in Arlington, surrounded by friends, family, and Carroll faculty and staff, Ayan stood to receive his hood and was officially awarded his PhD in Missions and Evangelism. On the Sunday following the ceremony, at the African Evangelical Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, Texas, the Ayandokun’s Texas church family held a Thanksgiving Service in his honor to celebrate what God has done.
Ayan holds the first PhD in Evangelism in the Nigerian Baptist Convention where he serves as Mobilization Officer of the Global Mission Department of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and teaches at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Obomosho.
The faculty and staff of Carroll Institute are proud of the accomplishments of Ayandokun and continue to pray God’s richest blessings to rest upon the ministry of Ayan Ayandokun and the great work of Nigerian Baptists.
Thanksgiving Service at the
African Evangelical Baptist Church.
