For the avoidance of doubt, President Obonjo is a comedy character created by Anglo-Nigerian comedian Benjamin Bankelo Bello.

In clear contrast to the brash, uber-confident and larger-than-life self-appointed African dictator in exile who speaks with a thick African accent, the comedian Benjamin Bankelo Bello is a soft-spoken, suburban Englishman who often wears a cardigan on top of his shirt.

Benjamin has stormed his way on to the British comedy circuit as President Obonjo for more than a decade. So convincing is this character that some gullible punters actually believe The Lafta Republic does exist. That is until someone who never got the joke "ousted" him on TikTok.

Benjamin recently started to perform stand up comedy as himself - a process which he describes as his "therapy" as a "recovering character comedian" - and explained to your host Kuan-wen why the character President Obonjo was created in the first place. The character was based on Benjamin's real life experiences rather than just a whim. When Kuan-wen and Benjamin discuss how and why what accent is used, it traces back to Benjamin's personal history, with the untangling of British Empire as the backdrop. You also can't help but wonder that as President Obonjo comes so alive, maybe … sometimes it is he who is in charge?

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Episode timeline

01:11 Intro

06:18 Moving between Nigeria and the UK

08:51 Brought up speaking English as first language in Nigeria

11:17 Benjamin's accent shift after arriving in the UK

14:58 A conscious efforts by other friends to keep their African accent(s)

17:41 Does Benjamin sound British or African?

19:44 Unable to switch off the character or switch between accents

21:30 Differences between stand up and character comedy

25:46 THERE IS NO LAFTA REPUBLIC

28:01 Creation of a dictator character based on real life experiences and extensive research

35:33 Performing to Nigerian audiences and at Black circuit gigs

40:19 Mocking Chinese accent and stereotypes at black circuit gigs

44:14 Benjamin and President Obonjo's social media

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Podcast intro music by @Taigenkawabe