This all started, three blogs ago, as a piece about David Hughes, who worked as a doorman/cashier/DJ at the Le Strip club in Toronto from 1982 to 1994.
It then began to divert via undercover work for the CSIS (the Canadian Security Intelligence Service), neo-Nazis, a massive counterfeiting scheme, planned terrorism in the 1980s, a far right Christian Identity religious group, a Ku Klux Klan gathering and a South African apartheid regime connection to, at the end of the last blog, membership of the Rhodesian Army.
“Hold on!” I said to David Hughes. “The Rhodesian Army”?
So, I think not unreasonably, I asked him for more background…
He responded…
David serving in the York Regional Police, in the 1970s…
As far as the Rhodesian Army was concerned, I became aware of the conflict ongoing in that country while attending Police College in Alymer, Ontario as a member of York Regional Police Force in 1976.
One of my classmates, Ken, was a member of Peel Regional Police Force and had recently immigrated to Canada after spending several years in the BSAP (British South Africa Police) who were the equivalent to our RCMP in the then-country of Rhodesia.
He was about ten years older than me and I looked up to him as a mentor with his worldly experience – not only as a police officer in Rhodesia but also because of his prior service as a ‘bobby’ in the Birmingham police force in Great Britain.
Ken told me I was too young to be policeman and that I should travel the world and join either the BSAP in South Africa or the Rhodesian Army.
So, in December 1978, I took him up on his advice and quit York Regional police.
By January 1979 I had flown to Rhodesia and joined the Rhodesian Army.
David Hughes says: “The Rhodesian Army was 85% African during that era and these are some of the African soldiers served with at the time – tough, disciplined soldiers…” (Photo taken April 1979)
May 1979: David Hughes in the Rhodesian Army “in my ‘blackface’ – We called it “black is beautiful camo creme”.
Initially, I was posted as a recruit to the Rhodesian SAS regiment where I underwent three months of their recruit training and selection – but I ultimately dropped off the course and transferred into the Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment where I served under American Major Darryl Winkler (a former US Army Vietnam veteran who had received a battlefield commission during that war).
I served in that unit throughout the remainder of the Bush War until Rhodesia ultimately became Zimbabwe in 1980.
Obtaining an early discharge from the Zimbabwe Army, I traveled to South Africa and went to the SADF (South African Defence Force) recruiting office in Pretoria and was given an offer of employment.
I was all set to join the SADF and engage in the war that was beginning in earnest in that country when I got homesick and returned to Canada.
I tried to get hired by 13 different police forces in Canada when I returned but no police force would touch me because of the ‘racist’ connotations associated with the Rhodesian conflict.
I spent the next five years working three jobs (one of which was at Le Strip) in order to make a living before I was hired by Canadian Pacific Rail in 1986 and my fortunes began to change for the better. Even then I still hung on to the the part-time job at Le Strip until 1994 because my level of seniority at the railway was such that I still needed part-time work to make ends meet.
It was about David Hughes, who worked as a doorman/cashier/DJ at Le Strip 1982-1994… and as a trainman on the Canadian Pacific Railway system 1986-2019… and as a ‘Confidential Informant’ for the Ontario Provincial Police… and for CSIS (the Canadian Security Intelligence Service) around that time.
In yesterday’s blog about David Hughes’ undercover work in Canada, he said:
“Grant Bristow’s meeting with Max French at Le Strip was arranged by me… At the time, Grant was a Confidential Informant for CSIS (which I also had a indirect role in creating).”
So, obviously, I asked about this role.
He replied:
The role I am referring to is how Grant Bristow came to the attention of CSIS and ended up becoming a CI for them. It was as a result of his recruitment by the South African embassy in Toronto (around 1984?) to provide intelligence on ANC (African National Congress) personnel in the city who were organizing protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa at the time.
Grant had met a couple of the South African embassy’s “diplomatic staff” (BOSS agents, no doubt) and parlayed his friendship and knowledge of my serving in the Rhodesian Army in 1979/80 into a job offer from them to provide information that would assist the South Africans in their battle against the ANC.
At the time Grant was working for Kuehne+Nagel in Toronto… One of the services they offered back in the 1980s/1990s was private investigators (who were required to be licensed under Provincial legislation) to ferret out employee theft and fraud.
They had contracts with Canada Post to provide security services at the Gateway Postal sorting facility and Grant spent a lot of time there doing undercover work for the security company in addition to his part time work as a DJ at Le Strip.
Kuehne+Nagel was where (I think?) he got his first taste of undercover work which was to stand him in good stead when he began to act as a CI for CSIS. He had a unique personality trait that I think helped ingratiate him into whatever role was required of him at the time. His personality could be demure as a sheepdog or as brash and bombastic as a WWE wrestler calling out his opponent in the ring combined with a chameleon like ability to instantly blend into whatever social environment he was enmeshed in at the moment.
He managed to gather a handful of would-be security staff into his plan and out of the blue one day called me up and asked if I would give his ‘recruits’ a lecture on the ANC.
I agreed and about a half dozen of ‘Grant’s Gaggle’ showed up at my apartment one weekend. I spent the next hour or so giving them the benefit of what I knew about the ANC as a result of my experiences in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe in 1979/80… which, honestly, wasn’t really much.
Grant was a little vague about exactly what he was up to… I could not figure out whether what he was telling me about the South Africans was legitimate or not.
Through all of this, though, Grant attracted the attention of CSIS and they managed to turn him into a CI and he began working against the interests of the South African Embassy in Toronto and gave CSIS information which ultimately led to the expulsion of a number of the South African diplomatic staff for “activities inconsistent with their diplomatic status”.
All of this occurred before his recruitment into the white supremacist neo-Nazi Heritage Front (see previous blog) and activities as a CSIS spy in that group for several years in what was called by CSIS, “OP Governor”.
When Grant’s role was exposed by the Toronto Sun in the mid-1990s, a public outcry led the Conservative Government of the time to convene an inquiry by the Security Intelligence Review Committee into the matter.
I gave in-camera testimony at the committee and their report, titled The Heritage Front Affair, under the Chairmanship of the Right Honorable Val Meredith ultimately determined that CSIS (while testing the limits of what was appropriate for the agency) acted within the limits of their mandate under the law and that Grant Bristow had performed an act of great benefit to his country and its citizens.
A conclusion that, in my opinion, was entirely correct.
Of course, Grant was given a new identity by CSIS and spirited to an unknown location somewhere in Canada where he was paid for the services he had rendered to the Government of Canada as a CSIS spy.
For me, life went on as normal and I worked often with Max French at CP Rail until I transferred to the London Division in 1998 and spent the remainder of my career working out of that terminal. Oftentimes I would run a train to Toronto and see Max in passing. In all of that time he never indicated that he suspected me during our association.
To this day, unless he reads this blog, I wonder if he ever did…
PS – I attach a photo of me back in those days…much better than the AI pic you created yesterday.
…and also one of me in the Rhodesian Army.
HOLD ON! HOLD ON!… “One of me in the Rhodesian Army”… ???
The person who reacted to the Comment – David Hughes – had worked as doorman/cashier/DJ at Le Strip from 1982 to 1994.
In the reaction he posted, he mentioned an exotic dancer with the stage name ‘Black Magic’, a spy story, neo-Nazis and the largest counterfeit money scheme in Canadian history. He finished with “There is a lot more to the backstory that I won’t get into here but I have been giving some thought to writing a memoir about it in the future.”
So, obviously, I contacted him and said: “If you want to give the bare outline of the story/stories, without undermining any future memoir of yours, obviously I and my blog readers would be fascinated to know more…”
As I had no period photographs of David nor of ‘Black Magic’ for yesterday’s blog, I had asked Gencraft AI to come up with an imagined illustration. This was what I got:
I reckoned I would get no reply from David, but an email came back, starting: “Can I just say that Gencraft’s AI has made a remarkably accurate rendition of ‘Black Magic’ except it has made her a little heavier and doesn’t portray the black leather gear she wore that gave her the stage name ‘Black Magic’ – She wore a simple black leather outfit with motorcycle chaps and cat-of-nine tails.”
So, for this follow-up blog, I asked Gencraft to create an image of “a thin female dancer wearing a black leather outfit with motorcycle chaps and carrying a cat-of-nine tails”.
Clearly, the phrase “cat-of-nine tails” is not one that has permeated the mind of current AIs. This was the image created:
Be that as it may, David did expand a bit on the backstory he had mentioned in yesterday’s blog. Yesterday, he said that there was a “spy story” involving one of Le Strip’s DJs named Grant Bristow.
Bristow became a vital undercover CI (Confidential Informant) for CSIS (the Canadian Security Intelligence Service) during a lengthy investigation into the neo-Nazi/extremist far right in the mid-1980s/mid 1990s as a result of a meeting between Bristow and Heritage Front member Max French which occurred at the Le Strip club.
The Heritage Front was a Canadian white supremacist neo-Nazi organization founded in 1989
David Hughes explained to me:
Grant Bristow’s meeting with Max French at Le Strip was arranged by me… At the time, Grant was a Confidential Informant for CSIS (which I also had a indirect role in creating) after I had told Grant about a fellow employee (Max French) who had befriended me when I was hired on to the Canadian Pacific Railway in Toronto as a trainman in September 1986.
Max French was then a Conductor at CP Rail and, when he found out about my background (ex-cop/soldier and former armored car guard), he thought I would be a perfect member of the Heritage Front in which Max was thoroughly ensconced. He was a senior member of its hierarchy and leadership.
CSA confusingly adopted the shoulder sleeve insignia of the United States Army Europe and Africa
Max also told me that he and his Canadian colleagues were going to emulate the The Order’s tactics in Canada and that he felt I would have the inside information to help conduct armored car holdups which would help to fund the Heritage Front’s efforts to stir up racial unrest in Canada and so further the groups aims.
What Max didn’t know was I was already a Confidential Informant for the Ontario Provincial Police as a result of my inside role in the counterfeit money scheme that had occurred in 1984 at Le Strip.
I refer to that as “How Le Strip saved Christmas” for Toronto merchants by preventing the laundering of $20 million US dollars during the peak Christmas sales rush and the seizure of said monies and the arrests of all the perpetrators involved which, sadly, included my ex-girlfriend ‘Black Magic’ and her husband.
In 1986 all involved were convicted and sentenced to jail terms in federal prison except for my ex-girlfriend who was found not guilty… I was the Crown’s chief witness during the trial.
When Max French told me what he had in mind for me, I immediately contacted the people in the Ontario Provincial Police (the OPP) who had handled me during the counterfeit money scheme and they in turn turned me over to OPP Security Service member Detective Sergeant Hans BrocVogel and OPP Intelligence Squad Detective Daniel Maclean.
…and so began my plunge into the fringe world of neo-Nazi and far right extremist groups… a world that I found horrendously sad and tragic.
Robert Mathews of The Order/Silent Brotherhood
During a road trip with Max French to Howell, Michigan, where I attended one of Pastor Robert E. Miles‘ Klan gatherings, I met the widow of Robert Mathews and his newly-born daughter (who never met her father because Matthews was killed in a shootout with the FBI on Whidby Island in the Pacific northwest before she was born).
It was the only time I was ever paid by the OPP for any of my activities as a Confidential Informant – they reimbursed me for the gas money I paid to make the trip with Max to Howell, Michigan and back.
When I signed for the money in BrocVogel’s notebook he and his Intelligence counterpart Daniel Maclean both wanted me to become further engaged with the Heritage Front.
I balked at the idea after discussing the matter with my wife and so it was arranged that I would set up the meeting with Max French and Grant Bristow at Le Strip… which I did in the hope that Grant would ingratiate himself with Max and I could slowly exit, stage left.
If only things were to go according to the plan!
Life for David Hughes is much quieter now – He retired from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 2019, after 33 years of service.
David Hughes in 2024, as imagined by the Gencraft AI…
Max French also retired from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 2016 or 2017.
David says: “I have no idea what he is up to now.”
French was interviewed by Vice in 2017, for a piece sub-titled: When neo-Nazis are congregating at the public library without issue, something’s amiss…
Max French interviewed in 2017 for a piece about white supremacists… (Photo by Rachel Browne)
(MORE ON ALL THIS IN THE NEXT BLOG – “The Canadian spies, white supermacists and South African secret agents affair…” HERE…)
With all the misinformation swirling around, it is good to know that the Reuters news agency takes its journalistic responsibilities seriously when supplying worldwide news and media sources with facts.
But a joke’s a joke.
Reuters employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide.
In August last year, Reuters fact-checked President Obonjo, a British stand-up comedy act that has been performing for over ten years.
The shtick is that President Obonjo is the leader/dictator of the Lafta Republic in Africa.
So convincing did many people (largely Americans) find this act that they believed President Obonjo was real.
Last August, Reuters’ initial fact-check was triggered when prominent right-wing commentator Melissa Tate shared a video of President Obonjo calling on America “to release Donald Trump immediately”.
Melissa Tate shared his online appeal with her 530,000 followers on Twitter as if it were real.
She captioned the clip: “African President expresses sadness of the loss of democracy in America following the Biden regime’s arrest of a former President & the disrespect of a mugshot. The world is watch[ing] the fall of America in amazement.” (I blogged about it all at the time HERE.)
When Reuters carried out a fact-check and discovered for certain last August that Malcolm Hardee Comedy Award winner President Obonjo was indeed ‘just’ a comedy act – even if a very good comedy act – that seemed to be the end of it.
But, this week, Reuters was sleuthing again – double or maybe triple checking that the good President was not a real African head of state masquerading for some inexplicable reason as a UK comedian.
It takes a big stretch of the imagination, but Reuters’ experienced team was prepared to make that stretch.
This time, they were checking a TikTok video (shared on Instagram) in which President Obonjo threatened to invade the US “if Biden and his people continue to prosecute Donald Trump”. It was re-posted by humanities_truth_ with the line “The president of Africa threatens to invade America over Biden’s corruption”.
A member of President Obonjo’s fictional Ministry of Media Relations was able to reassure Reuters that such an invasion is not imminent:
“Thank you for your enquiry. I am pleased to confirm that President Obonjo is indeed a character created by the comedian Benjamin Bello and the clip you provided is of him commenting in character on the news.
“President Obonjo of Lafta Republic is a comedy character who has appeared in a British TV special on ITVX and at numerous comedy festivals in the UK. The President often comments satirically on news events and current affairs. It is a sign of the times that a comedian who parodies world leaders is hard to distinguish from a genuine politician. So long as politicians keep clowning, it’s entirely fair for President Obonjo to play them at their own game, with better jokes and less collateral damage. For more information please see www.presidentobonjo.com”
I fear (or do I mean hope?) that, in US election year, this may not be the last we hear of Obonjo-gate. Of course, if Reuters were able to uncover the truth, it would be a real coup for them.
Here, award-wining stand-up Becky Fury pays tribute to her long-time friend Tony Allen, who died yesterday morning, in London… (Photos from Becky’s collection)
Becky Fury with Tony Allen
Tony Allen was born like most people but, unlike most people, he was born on March 4th 1945, in the last months of WW2 in Hayes, Middlesex, to working-class parents.
Tony attributed much of the anarchic politicization that informed his whole potent life and oeuvre, to his upbringing.
Tony’s mum had flourished as a result of the unprecedented freedom women (on the home front) experienced during the war and after she had struggled to readjust when these freedoms were redacted. As a child Mrs Allen regaled young Tony with tales from her gilded age and also expressed her sense of injustice to him regarding its passing.
Mrs Allen was unknowingly talking to Tony about women’s liberation, (a cause he would later champion) but it would be another 20 years or so, before the experience of Mrs Allen and women like her could really be put into words because, until the counter cultural kick back of the 1960s, the language to describe the experience she was trying to describe didn’t exist.
Young Tony with his parents
Tony’s dad had also had a good war. According to Mr Allen, his time as an artilleryman in North Africa had been something of a holiday. According to Mr Allen, it had mainly involved getting a suntan or “lying by a gunner and staring at the stars” so, unintentionally Mr & Mrs Allen indoctrinated young Tony into becoming a utopian. Into a belief that other, better worlds are possible… A belief that underpinned everything Tony strived for in his art and life – as an authentic anarchist and as an authentic revolutionary, comic thinker.
After blissfully mis-spending the first part of his youth working odd jobs (“The odder the better”) and, most formatively, as a shark in the pool halls of 1950s’ Hayes, Tony became caught up in the revolutionary counter cultural movement of the 1960s.
Tony – street and pub performer/comic
He began squatting in North London and lived, until his death, in a housing cooperative in Ladbroke Grove that he and former squatters had created in a row of abandoned Georgian houses they had been gifted by the council because it was the 1970s and Why, thought the council, would anyone ever want to live in a tatty terrace in nasty old Notting Hill?
During this early and fertile period of anarchic creativity, aside from being gifted millions of pounds of real estate, Tony was also involved in the embryonic street art movement, wrote for situationist journal The International Times and founded a performance troupe called Rough Theatre. His friend and co-conspirator Tom Watson remembered an incident from this time…
We had written a kids’ play about comic book characters where a mad scientist eventually blows up the world. The explosion was simulated by a theatrical device, called a Marron.
It (usually) went bang, it was great fun, and it was a very successful show. We toured it around London play sites.
Tony Allen, anarchist
It was at this time the police were very hot on any potential terrorists who they thought might be living in squats. Both the IRA and the Angry Brigade were active – the Home Secretary’s car had recently been blown up in nearby Holland Park.
One morning, there was banging on the door at about 4am. Police were shouting “GET DRESSED!”. They were raiding London squats looking for suspects. Being a good Catholic boy I got dressed. While they were searching the house I could hear the police talking: “Hasn’t he got dressed yet?”. Tony would not put any clothes on. He’s a big chap and, to be honest, quite well endowed. He managed to make them feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome.
They seemed very interested in his diary. We realised afterwards why… It was full of entries about our play, with references to bombs that didn’t go off.
As Tony observed in an early stand up set:
“I came to Ladbroke Grove for free love and squatting, I settled for sexual politics and a licensed deri.” (A licensed deri is a licensed derelict, or squat, for those of you who aren’t au courant with counter cultural housing lingo of the 1970s.)
In keeping with his political activism, Tony also performed regularly with his Full-Frontal Anarchy Platform at Speakers’ Corner, which eventually evolved into a fledgling stand up comedy routine. As stand up comedy had not become a thing yet, he began looking for places to perform, finally hitting on the newly-founded Comedy Store in 1979. Two months later, he founded Alternative Cabaret with Alexei Sayle and together they ran a regular Alternative Cabaret Club in the back bar of the Elgin pub, Ladbroke Grove.
Tony was a resident comedian in the early days of London’s Comedy Store (1979–1980) and took over from Alexei Sayle as resident MC early in 1981, where he was described as “A tall, willowy figure who has the air of a Lenny Bruce mixed with the vulnerability of Tommy Cooper”.
According to an early article about him, Tony’s style of stand-up was not so much jokes and gags, as having ‘a funny take’ on the world and the lives and loves that go on therein.
Always the risk-taker and one to break new ground, he was always innovating. These experiments, (like all experiments) had mixed results. A 1986 fanzine noted;
”I’ve seen Tony Allen do minutes of cursing, swearing, abusing of hecklers and audience alike and equally I’ve seen him do sets of such comic brilliance as to take your breath away and send you home to your bed-sit on wings!”
In 1980, Tony Allen and Alexei Sayle were the first alternative comedians to take their solo stand-up acts to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival under the title Late Night Alternative.
Alexi Sayle joked recently that any comedian doing Edinburgh owes him and Tony royalties
Tony also appeared in an episode of BBC TV series The Young Ones – Party. Essentially as himself. He’s a party guest, the authentic anarchist who bedazzles faux radical Rik with his chat about “Blowing up pandas”. Rik misunderstands what he means by panda. Hilarity ensues.
Tony had a long list of TV credits but they aren’t listed here as Tony actively avoided becoming television famous for his entire career because, as Gil Scott-Heron will tell you, “The revolution will not be televised”.
He would most want to be remembered for being a passionate defender of stand up comedy as a risk-taking, living art form. One that is as delicate as it is Bolshy and one that can be easily stifled by the demands and production values of television… As a practitioner of stand up that uses the privilege of the platform it is given to give the audience what it didn’t know it wanted, rather than the same old, same old that it has come to accept.
He was a fearless performer and performed comedy and stand up until he became too ill to want to bother any more. In his heyday he toured solo shows (like, the obituary-appropriate The Grim Reapo Man is at The Door) and also successfully supported bands like The Clash and Killing Joke, performing his stand up set before the band headlined. He once performed a gig at Glastonbury after accidentally getting involved in a fracas involving two undercover policeman which ended with him being CS gassed. He still successfully performed his set.
An old hippy at heart, he was comfortable with his mortality and as a comedian he found solace in finding humour in everything, even his own death. As a result, his curtain call was attending (and walking out of) his own wake in August, in his stomping ground of Ladbroke Grove. A star-studded gala event, it was appropriately held in an unassuming smallish room above a pub. The sort of intimate venue which Tony loved to play as a performer. The event was humorously entitled THIS WAS YOUR LIFE.
In his last days (he was 78 and had a terminal condition; but also throat cancer) Tony was being cared for by a close friend and lover from his squatting days; Andy.
He passed away quietly in the early hours of Friday morning, in his own bed, under his own pink duvet, having discharged himself from hospital against the doctor’s orders. He was in good spirits, enlivened, by socking it, one last time, to The Man and appropriately recounted this final adventure in the format of a stand up routine to anyone who was granted audience.
Not so much an inpatient but an impatient, Tony was an anarchic spirit, revolutionary and farce of nature to the last.
You must be righteously knackered, that was quite a ride, journey well, Tony Allen.
Far be it from me to say my blog is widely read – it could, after all, be merely coincidence – but, a few brief hours after I posted yesterday’s blog on comedy character President Obonjo, there was a military coup in Gabon, overthrowing President Ali Bongo, the namesake of the famed UK comedy magician and former President of the Magic Circle Ali Bongo…. This BBC News report has appeared (correct at the time of posting)
It has been suggested that this coup could have been a case of mistaken identity, with the CIA, confused by the current flurry of online Obonjo publicity in the US, overthrowing someone they thought was President Obonjo to undermine the Donald Trump campaign…
Or not.
Gabon coup: Army officers say they are taking power
By George Wright & Kathryn Armstrong
Army officers have appeared on national television in Gabon to say they have taken power.
They said they were annulling the results of Saturday’s election, in which President Ali Bongo was declared the winner.
The electoral commission said Mr Bongo had won just under two-thirds of the votes in an election the opposition argued was fraudulent.
His overthrow would end his family’s 53-year hold on power in Gabon.
Gabon is one of Africa’s major oil producers, while nearly 90% of the country is covered by forests.
Twelve soldiers appeared on television early on Wednesday morning, announcing they were cancelling the results of the election and dissolving “all the institutions of the republic”.
They added that the country’s borders had been closed “until further notice”.
If confirmed, this would be the eighth coup in former French colonies in Africa in the past three years.
However, most of the others have been further north, in the Sahel region where an Islamist insurgency has led to rising complaints that the democratically elected governments were failing to protect the civilian populations.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said her country was following the situation closely, while the European Union’s foreign policy chief said a military takeover would increase instability in Africa.
“This is a big issue for Europe,” said Josep Borrell.
Meanwhile, French mining group Eramet, which employs thousands of people in Gabon, said it had stopped all work in the country for security reasons.
The soldiers who announced the apparent coup said they were from the Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions and represent security and defence forces in the country.
One of the soldiers said on TV channel Gabon 24: “We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime.”
This, he added, was down to “irresponsible, unpredictable governance resulting in a continuing deterioration in social cohesion th,at risks leading the country into chaos”.
The sounds of loud gunfire could be heard in the country’s capital, Libreville, following the broadcast.
A resident in the western city of Port Gentil told the BBC World Service’s Newsday programme he was woken by a friend who told him about the soldier’s broadcast.
“There was a communique being played again and again on the two national TV channels,” they said, adding that it appeared that all parts of Gabon’s defence and security forces were involved.
BBC World Service Africa editor Will Ross says this suggests the coup is perhaps not “done and dusted” and there will be some resistance.
There was no immediate response by the government to the soldiers’ announcement and the whereabouts of Mr Bongo are unknown.
Internet access was suspended following Saturday’s election for security reasons, but was restored shortly after the apparent takeover. A curfew is also in place.
Ali Bongo was declared the winner of Saturday’s election, which the opposition argued was fraudulent
As in previous general elections in Gabon, there were serious concerns about the process in Saturday’s vote.
Main opposition candidate Albert Ondo Ossa complained that many polling stations lacked ballot papers bearing his name, while the coalition he represents said the names of some of those who had withdrawn from the presidential race had still been on the ballot sheet.
Campaign group Reporters Without Borders said foreign media had been banned from setting foot in the country to cover the vote.
Both of Mr Bongo’s previous wins were disputed as fraudulent by opponents. This time, controversial changes were made to voting papers just weeks before election day.
Mr Bongo came to power when his father Omar died in 2009.
In 2018, he suffered a stroke which sidelined him for almost a year and led to calls for him to step aside.
The following year, a failed coup attempt saw mutinying soldiers sent to prison.
Malcolm Hardee Award winning British comedian Benjamin Bankole Bello has been performing as fictional African dictator President Obonjo of the LAFTA Republic for almost 12 years.
For the last five days, he has been trolled by both Trump supporters and Trump opponents on the internet.
I talked to him this morning…
JOHN: So you did your comedy show at this month’s Edinburgh Fringe…
BENJAMIN: Yes, I took my show African Zelensky up there for ten days. So many things happened. I lost my luggage; I found it again; Ukranians came to the show; one Ukranian wrote back with a 3-page document about my show; then I had Russians come to the show who said they were going to tell Putin I was supporting him and I said No No No…
I didn’t go to Edinburgh to impress or get reviews. I went there to test my show. And it went very well.
Obonjo re Trump arrest on TikTok
Then, of course, Donald Trump got arrested so one morning, in my bedroom, with two flags behind me, I did a TikTok video saying basically I’m a friend of Donald Trump. I’m very worried about the state of democracy. I pretended I didn’t know he had been released and I gave the American government an ultimatum: RELEASE HIM IMMEDIATELY! THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO SILENCE YOUR OPPONENT!
I just uploaded it to TikTok and thought that was it.
But, within a couple of days, the video had gone viral and got almost a million views.
I thought: Oh, OK…
But, a couple of days later, someone called Melissa Tate, a Right Wing Conservative blogger with about half a million followers on Twitter, blogged to say an African president supports Donald Trump.
Before I knew what was happening, there were about 60,000 reTweets – some from black Trump supporters, some from people who don’t support Trump but think MAGA supporters are stupid.
Some of the non-MAGA supporters did some fact checking on me to see if I am a real president and it is hilarious. The comments are just comedy gold! There is a debate going on between MAGA supporters who are for Trump and those who are not for Trump and people within the Republican Party who are saying: How could you have reTweeted a fictional dictator? It shows you guys are stupid.
I have had people confuse me with President Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Ali Bongo of Gabon. Some people even confused me with President Obama… They don’t even know what their ex-President looks like!
They’ve been visiting my website and yesterday Reuters got in touch to find out who was behind my video – Am I a comedian? Am I a president? They could see there’s a comedian Benjamin Bankole Bello who plays the character of President Obonjo. But can you clarify? Because people online are taking the video seriously…
Someone calling himself Ford News with around 100,000 followers posted that I “was never a voice of democracy and ran out of his country. He was a brutal dictator.”
I wrote back saying “I want you to tell me within 24 hours where you got the information that I am a brutal dictator and that I fled my country and came to the UK or I will contact my lawyers.” He deleted the Tweet.
Unbelievable! The key thing for me, John, is that, in terms of social media … I am sitting in my bedroom with two flags behind me, I am broadcasting to the world and people believe I am a real African president. It shows that social media has blurred the line between what is true and what is false.
Then there’s the racism. Confusing me with other black presidents in Africa. Crazy. Absolutely crazy.
JOHN: Do Presidents Obasanjo and Ali Bongo look anything like you?
Presidents Obasanjo of Nigeria (left) and Ali Bongo of Gabon (right) (Photos: Helene C. Stikkel/US Department of Defense + US Department of State)
BENJAMIN: They look nothing like me. Ali Bongo has been in power for years and he has had a stroke. He doesn’t want to leave office. They are both older than me and one of them has had a stroke. A stroke! (LAUGHS)
JOHN: Well, you are very convincing as President Obonjo.
BENJAMIN: There was a review of my Edinburgh Fringe show which said it was “so convincing it almost broke the walls of satire”.
Americans have been trolling me for the past five days. Including black Trump supporters. They’ve tagged Donald Trump about me. I don’t know what Donald Trump thinks. They have tagged Kevin McCarthy, the House Speaker. They have tagged Tucker Carlson, the guy who used to work for Fox News. Someone told me “You have trolled the entire GOP from your bedroom in Britain”.
Despite the fact some people have said, “Oh, he is a comedian,” people have still said, “Oh, I don’t care. He’s actually speaking the truth as a President.”
JOHN: Perhaps you could be the compromise presidential candidate for the Republican Party. You could claim you were born in the US. There’s a chance no-one would check.
BENJAMIN: You’re pushing me to go to America.
JOHN: Seems reasonable. If democracy crashes there, they will need an experienced dictator. You walk the walk and talk the talk convincingly.
The day after this blog was posted, there was a coup in Gabon, overthrowing President Ali Bongo – see my blog HERE
Artificial Intelligence has no morals, no thoughts of its own, no beliefs of its own.
So I asked ChatGPT to write a 200-word political manifesto for each of the UK’s four main Parties… and another.
The AI does not itself ‘believe’ any of what follows; it is just spouting out the emotionless words expected of it… It will be interesting to see what the ‘real’ and allegedly heartfelt manifestos say…
The manifestos below are in alphabetical order of Party… except for the final manifesto…
Note that ChatGPT prefers the use of confusing numbers to bullet points and prefers US to UK spellings…
Write a 200 word political manifesto for the Conservative Party…
A VISION FOR A STRONGER FUTURE The AI Conservative Party Manifesto
Introduction:
The Conservative Party envisions a prosperous and resilient nation built on the foundations of freedom, individual responsibility, and limited government intervention. We are committed to preserving and advancing the values that have made our country great, while addressing the challenges of the 21st century. Our manifesto outlines key principles and policy objectives that will guide us in creating a brighter future for all.
Economic Growth:
We believe in free-market principles that stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation. We will lower taxes for individuals and businesses, reduce burdensome regulations, and foster a competitive business environment. We aim to prioritize investments in infrastructure, research, and development to bolster economic growth and increase global competitiveness.
Fiscal Responsibility:
We are dedicated to responsible fiscal management. We will strive to reduce the national debt, balance the budget, and implement transparent and efficient public spending. We will promote fiscal discipline while safeguarding essential public services.
Strong National Defense:
We recognize the importance of a robust defense capability to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. We will increase defense spending to modernize our armed forces, support our military personnel, and reinforce alliances for peace and stability.
Sovereignty and Immigration:
We believe in upholding national sovereignty and controlling our borders. We will establish a fair and efficient immigration system that prioritizes the national interest, while welcoming those who contribute positively to our society and economy.
Education and Skills:
We are committed to providing high-quality education and equipping our citizens with the skills necessary to thrive in the modern world. We will invest in education, expand vocational training, and promote apprenticeship programs to foster a skilled workforce.
Family and Social Values:
We cherish the importance of traditional family values and social cohesion. We will support policies that strengthen families, protect the sanctity of life, and preserve our cultural heritage. We will prioritize community engagement, volunteering, and social responsibility.
Conclusion:
The Conservative Party manifesto represents a clear vision for a stronger and more prosperous future. By championing individual liberty, free-market principles, and responsible governance, we aim to empower our citizens, protect our nation’s interests, and build a society where opportunity and prosperity are accessible to all. Together, let us forge a path towards a brighter tomorrow, rooted in conservative values and a commitment to the common good.
Write a 200 word political manifesto for the Labour Party…
BUILDING A FAIR AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE The AI Labour Party Manifesto
Introduction:
The Labour Party is dedicated to creating a society that values equality, justice, and opportunity for all. Our manifesto outlines a progressive vision that aims to address social and economic disparities, promote sustainable development, and empower communities across the nation.
Economic Justice:
We believe in a fair economy that benefits everyone. We will prioritize job creation, invest in infrastructure, and support small businesses and entrepreneurs. We will promote a living wage, fair taxation, and robust workers’ rights to ensure economic security and reduce inequality.
Quality Public Services:
We are committed to strengthening public services to guarantee equal access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and social care. We will increase funding for public schools, improve the National Health Service, and invest in affordable housing to provide a better quality of life for all citizens.
Climate Change and Sustainability:
We recognize the urgency of addressing climate change and transitioning to a sustainable future. We will invest in renewable energy, create green jobs, and prioritize environmental protection. We will work towards carbon neutrality, support international climate agreements, and promote sustainable practices across industries.
Social Justice and Equality:
We champion equality and social justice. We will implement policies to tackle discrimination, promote gender equality, and ensure LGBTQ+ rights. We will work to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and provide support for vulnerable groups to create a fairer society for all.
Education and Skills:
We are committed to providing accessible and high-quality education for all. We will increase funding for schools, reduce class sizes, and invest in vocational training and lifelong learning. We will strive to bridge the education attainment gap and empower individuals to reach their full potential.
International Cooperation:
We believe in building strong international partnerships based on mutual respect and cooperation. We will promote peace, diplomacy, and human rights on the global stage, and work towards a fairer and more just world.
Conclusion:
The Labour Party manifesto embodies a progressive and inclusive vision for a better future. Through policies that promote economic justice, invest in public services, address climate change, and champion equality, we aim to create a society that leaves no one behind. By working together, we can build a fairer, more compassionate, and sustainable future for all citizens, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to our collective success.
Write a 200 word political manifesto for the Liberal Democrat Party…
A PROGRESSIVE VISION FOR A BETTER FUTURE The AI Liberal Democrat Party Manifesto
We, the Liberal Democrats, stand for a society that fosters freedom, equality, and opportunity for all. Our manifesto outlines our commitment to creating a fairer and more inclusive Britain, where every individual can thrive and contribute to the collective progress of our nation.
Education and Innovation: We will prioritize investment in education, ensuring accessible and high-quality learning from early childhood to adulthood. We will support teachers, reduce class sizes, and modernize curricula to equip our children with the skills they need for the future. We will also champion scientific research and innovation to drive economic growth and address societal challenges.
Sustainable Economy: We will promote a sustainable and green economy, fostering clean technologies and renewable energy sources. We will create jobs in green industries, tackle climate change, and transition towards a carbon-neutral society. We will also support small businesses and entrepreneurs, enabling them to thrive and contribute to economic growth.
Social Justice: We will fight inequality and discrimination in all its forms. We will work towards equal pay, tackle the gender pay gap, and promote diversity and inclusion. We will invest in affordable housing, prioritize mental health support, and ensure that no one is left behind in our society.
Human Rights: We will champion human rights at home and abroad. We will defend civil liberties, protect refugees and asylum seekers, and promote global cooperation to address humanitarian crises. We will also advocate for electoral reform, including proportional representation, to ensure fair and representative democracy.
Europe and International Relations: We will work to maintain strong ties with Europe and promote international cooperation. We will advocate for a close relationship with the European Union, protect workers’ rights, and champion the free movement of people. We will also prioritize international development and support efforts to tackle global poverty and inequality.
The Liberal Democrats are committed to building a brighter future for all. We believe in an open, tolerant, and progressive Britain, and we invite you to join us in shaping a society that embraces diversity, protects the vulnerable, and promotes opportunity for everyone. Together, let us create a nation we can all be proud of.
Write a 200 word political manifesto for the Scottish National Party…
EMPOWERING SCOTLAND’S FUTURE The AI Scottish National Manifesto
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is dedicated to realizing Scotland’s full potential as an independent nation. Our manifesto outlines our vision for a prosperous, fair, and inclusive Scotland, where decisions are made by the people who live and work here.
Independence: We believe that Scotland’s future should be determined by the people of Scotland. We will continue our campaign for independence, allowing us to make decisions that reflect our values, priorities, and aspirations.
Economic Growth: We will focus on sustainable economic growth, investing in key industries such as renewable energy, tourism, and innovation. We will create new jobs, support small businesses, and ensure that Scotland’s wealth benefits all of our citizens.
Social Justice: We are committed to tackling inequality and creating a fairer society. We will fight poverty, invest in public services, and protect workers’ rights. We will also advocate for a living wage and affordable housing for all.
Education and Healthcare: We will prioritize investment in education and healthcare, ensuring that every child has access to high-quality education and that our healthcare system is properly funded and accessible to all. We will also support our universities and research institutions to foster innovation and drive progress.
Climate Action: We will lead the way in tackling climate change, aiming for Scotland to become a carbon-neutral nation. We will invest in renewable energy, promote sustainable transportation, and protect our natural environment for future generations.
The SNP is committed to Scotland’s future. We believe in the power of our people, the strength of our communities, and the potential of our nation. Together, let us shape a Scotland that is prosperous, fair, and proud on the world stage.
Write a 200 word political manifesto of empty words…
THE ILLUSION OF PROGRESS The AI Manifesto
Introduction:
In this political manifesto, we present a collection of empty words that create the illusion of progress while lacking substance and true intent. We pledge to use empty rhetoric, hollow promises, and vague statements to deceive the public. Our manifesto relies on the following principles:
Ambiguous Visions: We will craft grandiose visions with no concrete plans for implementation. Our words will sound appealing, but they will lack substance, making it impossible to hold us accountable for any failure to deliver.
Generic Statements: We will use generic statements that can be interpreted in various ways, allowing us to appeal to different groups without committing to any specific actions or policies. This approach ensures that we can avoid controversy and maintain a broad base of support.
False Promises: We will make extravagant promises without any intention of fulfilling them. By offering hope and lofty goals without clear strategies, we can manipulate public sentiment and gain short-term popularity.
Lack of Transparency: We will avoid transparency at all costs, concealing our true intentions and avoiding any genuine dialogue with the public. This tactic ensures that we can continue to operate free from fact-based scrutiny or accountability.
Empty Slogans: We will rely on catchy slogans and buzzwords to create an illusion of progress. These empty phrases will distract the public from our lack of substantive policies and actions, keeping them satisfied with empty rhetoric.
Conclusion:
This manifesto represents a cynical approach to politics, relying on empty words to maintain power and influence. By employing ambiguous visions, generic statements, false promises, lack of transparency, and empty slogans, we seek to manipulate public opinion while avoiding meaningful change. We believe in the power of empty words to create a façade of progress without the need for actual substance or accountability. Beware of those who employ such tactics, as their promises may lead to disappointment and disillusionment.
So, initially, I asked ChatGPT AI to write me a 250 word political manifesto on the benefits of cannibalism. Why not?
It came up with this answer:
I feel there is a missed opportunity there but, unfazed, I asked it to just come up with a more generic 250 word political manifesto to win a UK general election. This was the AI’s suggestion
I think this template must be the one used by all UK political parties (with some minor spelling changes) and look forward to hearing it being spouted (again) by both Conservative and Labour Parties (and possibly the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and minor parties like the Liberal Democrats) at the next Local, the next General and all subsequent elections.
A couple of days ago, I was asked to appear on GBNews’ today to give my opinion on the future of comedy.
And, sure enough, last night I appeared briefly on the Mark Dolan Tonight show. That will teach them never to invite me on a TV show again! I can be quite fluent verbally – in writing – but I am in no way vocally fluent. I’m not a fluent speaker. I gibber.
Anyway, I was one of three comedy ‘experts’ on Mark Dolan’s show, the others being US podcaster and author Drew Allen and the wonderful British showbiz legend that is Christopher Biggins.
I think GBNews may have mistaken me for someone else, as I was called a “highly-respected comedy journalist”.
Anyway… because this is MY blog, it’s all about Me, Me Me… so here are the excerpted bits with me. Spot the inconsistencies…
Mark Dolan Tonight with (L-R) Mark Dolan, me, Drew Allen and Christopher Biggins
MARK: You’ve written extensively for many years on the subject of comedy. Do you think it’s dying?
JOHN: I don’t think it’s dying. I think it’ll probably change. I mean, it goes through periods, doesn’t it. Hello Biggins! I used to work with him on Surprise! Surprise!…
I think television has changed now. In the days of Surprise! Surprise!, what producers did was they made programmes that they themselves liked which appealed to viewers.
Alan Boyd at London Weekend TV produced Surprise! Surprise! because he liked the sort of programmes that people wanted to watch. Nowadays, I think people are producing the sort of programmes they THINK the ‘lower classes’ want to watch.
So all these Oxbridge people are making programmes for people in Essex they don’t really know.
MARK: John, do you think Brexit has been a problem for British comedy? That sort of dividing live between Remainers and Brexiteers has been a really divisive aspect in comedy. Because I do know of comedians, John, who have been cancelled for being pro-Brexit.
JOHN: Well, I think it’s a problem in Society, isn’t it? I think by-and-large – a gross exaggeration but – by-and-large comedians tend to be Left Wing because they possibly rail against authority and that’s a good thing for comedy. So most comedians are Left Wing and, if you’re Left Wing, you take certain views. And, by-and-large – by-and-large – Brexit was a Left/Right divide.
MARK: What about shows like The Mash Report which seem to be one long attack on the Conservative Party and Brexit.
JOHN: I think again, that’s because television producers nowadays make programmes for themselves and their mates who have lunch in Soho wineries. They don’t make programmes for the punters.
In my glorious days when I was young in the late 17th Century, comedy television programmes were on in peaktime. They were on at 7.30/8 o’clock at night. Nowadays comedy tends to be either on minority channels like BBC Three or very late night or at 9 or at10.30.
In my day, comedies were populist. Nowadays, in a strange way, it’s elitist, because it’s made by people for their chums not for the people who are actually watching the programme.
MARK: We’ve seen, haven’t we, some comedies being given a trigger warning at the start of the show… We saw an episode of Fawlty Towers which was actually removed from its platform for a while, even though the episode contained a message of anti-racism which the Woke Warriors didn’t seem to get the memo on. That one.
And then you’ve got shows like Little Britain which have been Cancelled by the organisation that made them – the BBC. I mean, Little Britain – OK, it was hit and miss – but at times it was wildly offensive and wildly hilarious, John.
JOHN: Yes, I think you have to be offensive to be… I think the key thing is the word ‘PUNCHline’.
At the end of a joke there’s a punchline and you laugh at the punchline. The reason you laugh, you lose control of your body, is because you’re getting a release because there’s a surprise – something you don’t expect. It’s a release. I gibbered there, but a punchline triggers a release.
MARK: John, last word goes to you. You’ve been writing about comedy for a long, long time, who are the greatest British comedians of all time in your view?
JOHN: Oh, you and Leo Kerse, obviously. (THEY HAD TAKEN PART IN THE PRECEDING SHOW ON GBNews)
MARK: (LAUGHS) God bless you. Have you been drinking again, John?
JOHN: (LAUGHS) I don’t drink.
It depends what you mean by ‘greatest British comedians’. Michael McIntyre is a great comedian, but I wouldn’t go and see his show because it’s gonna be the same every night. It’s a very slick show, I prefer to see very uneven shows – rollercoasters – so… I wrote Malcolm Hardee – a great comedian – ’s autobiography. So I’d like to put in a plug for Malcolm Hardee as being an anarchic comedian who should be better known.
MARK: A wonderful comedian. I was doing a show at Up The Creek, his legendary comedy club in Greenwich, and towards the end of the set I said to the audience: “I’ll be back.”
And he shouted from the side of the stage: “No you won’t!”
There you go. Comedy’s always got a victim and on that occasion it was me…
(THE ENTIRE EDITION OF THIS MARK DOLAN TONIGHT SHOW IS CURRENTLY ON YOUTUBE)
With all the misinformation swirling around, it is good to know that the 
SO IT GOES - John Fleming's blog 