Joshua N'Clement

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The Joshua N'Clement building is a high-rise block in Blackbury and features in Only You Can Save Mankind. Built in the mid-sixties it won an award from the Guild of Architects in 1965 just before bits started falling off it. By the time of the events of Only You Can Save Mankind it is the very picture of Urban Decay.

Joshua N'Clement the person is a portmanteau character who is the epitome of those African leaders who, originally, would have worn the letters "J.B." with pride ("Jailed by the British). On independence from Britain and after the first and often the only fully free elections held in the new country, Prime Minister N'Clement would have been hailed by Western liberals as a man devoted to freedom, democracy, and guiding the new Republic Of Mid-Central Africa into the light of freedom.

Something of this rather shredded reputation for respecting peace, free speech and democracy might even persist when Blackbury Municipal District Council is looking to be seen as politically correct and right-on for the least posible expense and effort. Having just built three tower blocks for the proles who are unable or unwilling to buy their own homes, why not name them after prominent African freedom-fighters, including the man who is now President For Life Joshua N'Clement? (he having dispensed with all those tedious and irrelevant election things).

As the President For life's reputation tarnishes further, and as the concrete discolours and bits start falling off the tower blocks, B.M.D.C. might be embarrassed by the civil war, closely folowed by the former President For Life N'Clement escaping into exile as the life guest of a dodgy South American Generallismo (who expects a mere 25% of all the aid money N'Clement has been salting away into a Swiss bank account against a rainy day).

But then again, it might not...

At the start of Only You Can Save Mankind Bigmac lives in the building with his brother and his brother's dog a pit bull called Clint, although he later moves out to live with Yo-less and his family.