 Thomas was regarded as a brilliant but very arrogant man who had strained relationships with some of the local leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello and Alaafin Aderemi II.He was said to have been rude to the Alaafin at an Oyo Divisional Council meeting because the Alaafin did not stand up in reverence to him (he was the chairman of the council while the Alaafin was a member, but this was in itself an aberration - as the Balogun of Oyo, Chief Thomas was traditionally one of the Alaafin's retainers).He was a leader of a group that included the majority of the Oyo Mesi who were against the rule of Alaafin Aderemi on the grounds that the Alaafin was against the capitalization of taxes used to finance education and health.