Chris Oriko
One of the primary narrators, Chris Oriko is the Commissioner for Information and one of the first advisers to His Excellency. He is a longtime friend of Ikem Osodi and His Excellency. During the course of the novel, he becomes more and more alarmed with the behavior of His Excellency. He is romantically involved with Beatrice, who helps him go in to hiding after Ikem is assassinated.
Ikem Osodi
Another witness/narrator, Ikem Osodi is the newspaper editor of the government-run National Gazette, a position he often uses to criticize the President. He stands with the people of Abazon who have been ignored by His Excellency, and he is ultimately removed from his post and killed. Ikem serves as the moral center of the novel, offering long monologues on the purpose of government and the obligations citizens have to one another.
Beatrice Okoh
Beatrice Okoh is an educated woman who is romantically involved with Chris Oriko. She is the Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, and the only person in the service with high honors in English from Queen Mary College, University of London. She is a strong and outspoken feminist. After Ikem's assassination, she assists Chris as he goes into hiding and cares for Ikem's pregnant partner.
His Excellency / President / Sam
Sam rises to power and becomes His Excellency after a successful coup removed the previous dictator. He was good friends with Chris Oriko and Ikem Osodi during their schooling, and he rewards them with positions in his Cabinet. He becomes increasingly paranoid and authoritarian as the novel progresses, which is primarily motivated by the threat he senses from Abazonian protestors. He is concerned with maintaining his position for life and will do anything to remove people who stand in his way.
Mad Medico
Mad Medico, or Jon Kent, is a British man who met Chris, Ikem, and His Excellency while in school. He is ultimately exiled from the country as His Excellency continues to seize power.
Elewa
Elewa is Ikem's lover. She is a lower-class woman who Beatrice takes care of after Ikem is killed. Elewa gives birth to Ikem's daughter at the end of the novel after Ikem has died.
Professor Okong
Professor Okong is a member of the President's Cabinet, and His Excellency's scolding of Professor Okong at the beginning of the novel foreshadows Sam's power-hungry behavior.
Agatha
Agatha is Beatrice's live-in maid. She is rude at times and Beatrice does not get along well with her.
Emmanuel
Emmanuel is another intellectual who travels with Chris as he flees the capital via bus. He is with Chris as he dies trying to protect the young woman who is being sexually assaulted.
Chief of Abazon Delegation
The Abazon delegation travels to the capital to plead their case to His Excellency, and they are led by the Chief. He is the first character to introduce the story of the tortoise and the leopard, which becomes a recurring theme in the novel.
