James Obi is from Anambra, in South East Nigeria. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Abia State University. He moved to South Africa in 2015. He holds qualifications in HIV counselling from Wits University, Substance Abuse Disorder and Addictions counselling from SANCA, psychology from the University of Toronto, sociology from the University of South Wales, and Child Counselling from College SA. He worked for the Wits Health Consortium as an HIV/AIDS counsellor, and with Jesuit Refugee Services as a trauma counsellor, focusing on LGBTI refugees and on women refugee victims of sexual violence. He provided end-of-life accompaniment to the terminally ill, and bereavement counselling to the family members and loved ones left behind.