Twala

Twala, the one-eyed giant king of the Kukuanas, came by this throne through guile and murder. As the weaker twin brother, he was supposed to be killed at birth, but his softhearted mother saved his life and entrusted him to Gagool. Gagool secretly raised him to be the next king and, when the moment was right, revealed him to the people while their present king, Imefu, was ill. Twala killed Imefu on his sickbed and took the throne, driving Imefu's wife and her young son, Ignosi, from Kukuanaland to die in the wilderness.

Twala is cruel but brave. His cunning is evident in his refusal to match his spear against the white men's firearms, and in his attempts to win them to his cause before making a move against them. Unlike most of the Kukuanas, Twala is not moved by the supernatural pretensions of the white men.