Dr Raphael James: The man in search of history and a missing country 

By Nehru Odeh

Dr Raphael James’ simplicity belies his large heart and achievements. And his life is an irony, the exact opposite of who he thought he was, what he believed he wasn’t cut out for and what he thought he could make out of his life. While in the university, he dreaded statistics because, according to him, he wasn’t good at mathematics.

Even when one of his lecturers tried to encourage him to take research seriously, telling him that he could be a great researcher in future, he dismissed it with a wave of the hand, saying in his mind, “Sir I beg leave this matter. Who is going to be doing all these research things?”

Yet more than 30 years after he graduated from the university, not only is he one of the greatest researchers around, he is the brain behind the Centre for Research, Information Management and Media Development, CRIMMD, an organization located in the Idimu area of Lagos and devoted to research,  documenting history, free library services and skills acquisition and training.

And to achieve these lofty ends, he has a library stocked with books to which people come from far and wide to study free of charge, a private museum in which artifacts, historical objects, photographs, and all kinds of lost materials ranging from postage stamps, newspapers and magazines, coins, bottles, maps, currencies dating from 1709 and even household items that are no longer of any use are kept.

He also has a skills acquisition centre managed by his wife, where women are trained to acquire skills such as fashion design, catering, soap making, beads making, bags and shoe making, to mention just a few, free of charge.

Still, the remarkable thing about James’ painstaking efforts at documenting history, improving reading culture and training women to acquire skills is that he has been doing all these over the years with his own funds, without support from corporate organizations or government, without even an iota of encouragement from the country he firmly believed in but which has failed to support him. And like a man holding a lantern in the midst of darkness, he has been trying to shine light by searching for a missing country while navigating the past.

And when Prince Yemisi Shyllon, technocrat, philanthropist and the largest art collector in Nigeria who introduced James and the fabulous things he is doing to TheNEWS and PMNEWS, visited the centre recently, he was so thrilled and impressed by what he had done, what he had put in place with little funds, the efforts he had put in to document aspects of Nigerian history through the museum, offer free library services and train women to acquire skills without any external funding or sponsorship that he felt everything should be done to encourage and support him.

Yet there is more to James than the rare facilities he had put in place and all what he has been doing to give back to society. There is more to the great works he has been doing alone in silence. There is more to the altruistic works he has been doing in a philistine and materialistic society like Nigeria. His spartan life and sense of patriotism ring a bell the sound of which is often dwarfed by philistinism as well as a loud and noisy crass materialism that hold sway in our country.

“It might sound unbelievable if I tell you today that I don’t have a car of my own. But that is the truth. I don’t have a car. I managed to buy one for my wife. Because I felt my kids need to move with their mother. But for me I don’t. And if I say it now that I have  not been able to make money to buy a car for myself I am a liar. The funds had come in but I just felt let me invest it in what I’m doing and document history. I think for me I prefer it that way,” so said the man who goes out of his way to buy books to stock his library, as he took us round the facilities, proud of what he had achieved with the funds he had been able to raise by sheer dint of hard work

This indeed is the intriguing story of the man in search of history and a missing country. He bemoaned the fact that Nigerians have lost a sense of history and not only are facts distorted because of lack of historical knowledge, Nigerians are ignorantly disposing of valuable items that could tell the story of our past.

He cited malams who go about buying what they regard as condemned irons for them to be recycled as an example. He described Nigeria as a missing country, likening it to a man that has lost his house address and cannot trace his way back home.

“You are here in my office now. You left your respective homes to come here. God forbid if something happens and you forget your house address, you won’t be able to find your way home. You know that you won’t get home again. Now, that is actually the problem Nigeria is facing,” James, who likes to describe himself as a researcher rather than as a journalist, said.

“My name is Dr Raphael James. I’m from Abia State. My wife is from Ogun State. I have three wonderful kids. I studied psychology in the university. I also did journalism and found myself practising initially as a journalist, but now I no longer introduce myself as one. I prefer to introduce myself as a researcher because I do more of research work than journalism, though I publish three different magazines.

‘I also happened to be an author. I have written 56 manuscripts and published 23 books. I am one of the patrons of the Lagos Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors. I found myself doing research, which encouraged me to set up one of my centres, The Centre for Research, Information Management and Media Development, CRIMMD.

“And what I am trying to do is to see how I can propagate research work, with specification to Nigerian history. I have received 229 awards from across the world. I also donate books to encourage other people to read. I have donated over 37, 000 books across Nigeria,” James, seated at table in his office crammed with books, artifacts,  archival materials, memorabilia, said, introducing himself and proud of his Nigerianess, his family and his solid personal achievements

Asked how the library and the museum started, James gave a detailed story of  how after his national youth service, he got a job with Newswatch Communications and worked in its research department for two years and resigned.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I just felt how can I stay and be doing the same thing over and over again. Why don’t I just move on? Then I resigned. After his resignation, James set up his own business called Sent Consult. But that was very brief as he later worked with several organizations before becoming Special Adviser on Media to the then Governor of Abia State Chief Orji Uzor Kalu. His stay there was also brief. He tendered his resignation because, according to him things were not working well to his satisfaction.

“Because I have my own kind of lifestyle that I live. And I thought the best thing to do was to walk away. I tendered my letter of resignation and came back to Lagos. When I came, I was like what do you do with your life? I said let me start my research centre. That has always been on my mind. So I set up a place. My office used to be at Ijesha. In the first three, four, five months people were coming. They wanted to make photocopies. They wanted to make phone calls. Because I was doing night calls. There was NITEL then. There was no GSM.

“Before I knew what was happening, I turned my research centre to a business centre. And that was when I observe that quite a lot of young people would come with certificates that belonged to their cousins or nephews. And they would ask me for tipex. They would tipex the name  on the certificate and print their own names, make photocopies which they now use either to go look for a job or  admission to a tertiary institution.

“And I kept telling them one thing. I said, ‘See, you don’t need the certificate. All you need is to be intellectually sound upstairs. Once you can reason, you can talk very well, you would get the job you are looking for. So, at that point I said, ‘Well, instead of me to just keep preaching, let me encourage them to do it. That was how the idea of setting up the library came up. This is not motivational talk. It is exactly 19 years this year I started my library. I stated it without a dime. I didn’t have hope. I didn’t have money.

“I said okay let me statrt my centre.  So I started running the library. I started with less than 100 books. If you go round now you would see presently, because of the lack of space, I have over 40, 000 books. And I keep buying. I don’t stop. My aim has been to encourage young people to read and gain knowledge. So fo the 19 years I have been running my library, I have not collected one dime from any body. It doesn’t cost anyone anything to use my library. It’s free. It has been free for 19 years. I keep saying ‘Come and read. Gain knowledge. If you’re a reader, you will become a leader.’ That is one thing I believe in. That has been my motivation. And that is part of why I set up the CRIMMD library,” James noted.

The idea of the museum came, according to James, while he was compiling facts for a book project on historical dates he was doing to mark Nigeria’ centenary celebration in 2014.

“While I was compiling those historical facts, I came across a whole lot of photographs because I was searching though old newspapers and history books. And I started asking myself What do I do with  these photos? That was when the idea came: Why don’t you set up a museum of photographs?

“I reached out to Ambassador Segun Olusola (of blessed memory) and discussed my plans with him.He said it was a beautiful idea, that I had his support 100 per cent. He then said I could use his name but I should make sure I called him ahead of time, to tell him wherever I was sending my letter to, in case they called him to verify. So, haven’t got that backing from somebody  like him, I felt encouraged. This time I wasn’t just looking for money. I just needed somebody to say your idea is good or your idea is bad.

“Though at that point in time, even though if he had told me it was bad,  I won’t have been discouraged because I had already made up my mind that was what I wanted to do.

“I started putting the photos together. I got my first 5, 000 photographs. Boom, my laptop crashed. And I lost the 5, 000 photographs. It shook me. I actually felt discouraged. But I said no. I’m not giving up. I started all over again. And today, as  we are talking now. I have between 45, 000 to 50, 000 photos on Nigerian history,” James said.

That James had already made up his mind what he wanted to do is by no means an exaggeration. Still, he moved a notch higher by going beyond just collecting photographs. He started collecting other items that he believed could tell the Nigerian story.That was how the museum started. As time went on, he realized that Nigerian history was beyond photos, that there was a lot of items that could actually tell our story. Then he started putting them together.

Asked why he was doing all these things documenting history and memory, whereas he could have been doing something else, he said: “Because I realize that a people without history don’t exist. We all have our own history, and the best we can do is to put them together for generations yet unborn.

“I’m going to take you to the museum so you can see what I have been able to put together. I used to brag to people  that aside from the CBN Currency Museum in Abuja, no other museum in Nigeria is competing with me on the amount of Nigerian currency in its possession. None.

“I have yet to see one. My oldest Nigerian coin dates from 1910. My oldest coin as far as Nigeria is concerned dates from 1709. It’s a Portuguese coin that was used in Nigeria when the first set of Portuguese came into this country.

“As I said I have actually gone beyond photographs. It’s an archival and museum section I’m running. I have books dating back to 1910, I have newspapers. I would take you round. You will see some of them. I have 1913 and 1920 newspapers. So, I go out of my way to search for anything and everything that can tell the Nigerian story,” James maintained.

Some of the historical researches James has gone out of his way to conduct, using his personal funds, include: locating the exact spot where Nigeria’s former military head of state, Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi and then Governor of Western region Brigadier Adekunle Fajuyi were murdered in Ibadan, where Nigeria’s national flag was first hoisted at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, clarifying who designed Nigeria’s Coat of Arms, as well on the Aba Women’s Riot of 1929.

Still, the remarkable thing about the researches James has carried out is the passion with which he does them alone, without requiring the support, encouragement or prodding of anyone.

Asked what his challenges are, the Abia State-born reseacher who believes passionately in Nigeria, said his major challenge was lack of space with which to materialize his dreams. And that also has to do with lack of support from corporate organizations and government.

“My biggest challenge has been – and still is – lack of space. Ordinarily, the books in this office are not supposed to be here. This is my private office. I am not supposed to have books here. Even the archival materials here are not supposed to be in my office. If I had a bigger place, we would have a separate archive.

“So, when you come for research, I know  where to send you to do your research. I might not even have to follow you becauae things would have been arranged in a proper formation for you to access what you want. Now, if you come and you need materials, I have to go and start searching becausse I’m using my own memories.

“But if we were properly set, that wont happen, that wont hsppen because things would have been properly done and properly computerrized in a manner that you just click some buttons and the information you are looking for will pop up. So, my biggest challenge is space.

“When I take you to the museum, you will realize that you probably would not see up to 50 per cent of what I have in the museum. They are there but packed on top of each other. So becauase they are loaded on top of each other, you would not see it. You probably would not value it. And that is because we don’t have space.

“But if I get a whole building, for example, then these things can properly be arranged in such a way that they can tell a story. When Britain conquered Benin kIngdom, there were certain items that were taken away from Benin Kingdom. Now, I have some of those items that were taken from Benin Kingdom in the museum.

“But because it is not properly arranged, they are scattered within the museum. All I needed to do was put a section here and put thse things so you just walk in  and you see it without me telling you a story. So, again I repeat, my biggest challenge is space.

Has he reached out to any corporate organization or government for support? He said:  “I have thought of that but I havent reached out to any government. I have not reached out to any private organization. I have not reached out to any international organization. And I keep saying one thing.There are organizatins too in Nigeria  who I can beat my chest hard and say they aren’t doing a quarter of what I am doing but are getting grants.

“But what I keep saying is this:  ‘Come and see what I am doing. It is not about me writing a sweet proposal and sending it to you. Come and visit us, feel us; then you will decide if you want to be part of what we are doing or not.’ It might be the wrong way of doing things, as far as the Nigerian society is concerned, but that is how I intend to do my own. And that is what I am working on presently.

Still, James will never forget how while he was washing some of the rare bottles he wanted to put in the museum one day, a friend of his told him point blank “Oh boy na wa for you oo. Your mates dey drink beer, you dey collect the bottles.” He will also never forget how a year after he had set up the museum and realizing how much he had spent to make that happen, he locked himself up in the museum and cried bitterly. “I went into the museum, shut the door and I was crying. I cried. I didn’t want anybody to see me crying. When I was satisfied, I cleaned my tears and came out.” He will never forget how he, after spending the little money he had on books in stead of spending it on food, he would come home and lie to his wife that somebody gifted those books to him.

James, however, has some positive words to say about his wife with whom he has been managing the skills acquisition centre, praising her for the support and encouragement. “My wife has been very, very understanding. I give it to her. I don’t think I would have been better if I had married somebody else. Sincerely speaking, my wife has been very understanding.

“There are nights we have gone to bed without food. And she would know that I used whatever money I had on me to buy books. It got to a point where I was now forced to start telling her lies. So I would buy and come and be like they gifted me. You know, I started doing that.  But she has never for once complained. So, I think she also understands what I am doing. She has given me all the support. And wonderfully my kids too, growing up, have also been very supportive.

Any word of advice for the youths? Sure. James advised them to be consistent, adding that consistency will not only take them to the top, it will make them remain consistent at the top. And as usual, James, not one to pontificate, showed an example.

“What I have always told them and what I will still tell them is that determination is success. There is nothing as beautiful  as consistency. Now a whole lot of young people look for how to make fast money. When I go out to talk them, I give examples.

“I went to an occasion and asked them to get a ladder. So,they got the ladder and I mounted it. I asked for some volunteers. Two young men came and I said ‘I want you to run, run and run on top of the ladder.’ I got people to hold the ladder because I know they were going to fall down. The first guy tried. By the time he got to the third step, he was missing his steps. I asked him to come down. I then told him this is actually how life is.

“You can not run to the top of a ladder. You have to climb to the top of the ladder. If you manage to run successfully to the top of that ladder, your legs would start to wobble at the top and you will collapse. But if you take your time and get to the top of the ladder, you will stay consistently there.

“That is life.  When you make fast money, you will not know how to manage it. And you might end up killing yourself because the money will end up killing you. If the money doesn’t kill you, by the time the money finishes and the next set is not forthcoming, you will harm yourself.

“And today, I am yet to remember one name of all those who made fast money in Nigeria that is still living. I’m not mocking them. But what I’m saying is that when you take your time to get to the top, you will remain consistent at the top,”James maintained.

As James was seeing us off, he sighted the crowns of some bottles in front of the gate of his centre, he bent down and started picking them, saying, “I’m going to add these crowns to my collections in the museum.”

What a passion? What an eye for details, no matter how little? Little wonder the man who has put all he had to achieve his dreams has remained consistent at the top.