[2] He studied the Edo and Igbo people in Southern Nigeria, and worked mainly with Temne and Limba communities in Sierra Leone.

"[6] It was alleged by historian Henrika Kuklick that Thomas had investigated the cannibalistic Human Leopard Society in Sierra Leone but in his report "refused to divulge the identities of the murderers he had interviewed, arguing that the anthropologist's code of professional ethics required him to maintain the confidentiality of the relationship he had with his informants.

"[7] However, anthropologist Paul Basu who examined archival evidence has disputed this statement noting that Thomas never wrote a report on the Human Leopard Society.

[11] Thomas's anthropological surveys in Southern Nigeria and Sierra Leone are the subject of a research project entitled [Re:]Entanglements funded by the UK's Arts & Humanities Research Council and led by anthropologist Paul Basu at SOAS.

As well as archival- and collection-based research, the project involves retracing Thomas's itineraries in West Africa, as well as exploring contemporary uses, values and meanings attached to the historical material.