Christopher is the Commissioner for Information in the West African nation of Kangan. Educated in England, he occupies a privileged position within the government of his boyhood friend, Sam. He possesses an analytical nature that allows him to observe the regime's slide into authoritarianism with intellectual detachment, though this distance frequently leads to passive complicity.

Ikem is the passionate editor of the state-run National Gazette. Known for his provocative editorials against public executions, he consistently champions the interests of Kangan's ordinary citizens. He refuses to practice self-censorship for political expediency, making him a frequent source of friction within the government.

Sam is the military head of state of Kangan. Once an idealistic school friend to Christopher and Ikem, he grows increasingly paranoid and dictatorial after taking office. He treats governance as a theatrical performance, surrounding himself with flatterers who validate his absolute power and fuel his suspicion of independent thought.

Beatrice is a senior assistant secretary in the Ministry of Finance. Raised by a stern, religious father, she carries a strong sense of independence. She connects her Western education with traditional African spiritual heritage, frequently acting as the moral center for her prominent friends.

Elewa is a shop salesgirl living in Bassa. She serves as a voice for the ordinary, working-class citizens of Kangan who are often overlooked by the educated elite. Despite lacking formal higher education, she possesses deep emotional intelligence and natural dignity.

Major Ossai is the ruthless director of the State Research Council, Kangan's security apparatus. Driven by personal ambition rather than ideological conviction, he embodies the institutional machinery of oppression. He systematically enforces the president's will while actively feeding the ruler's paranoia.

Emmanuel is a university student leader who represents a new generation of political activism in Kangan. He bridges the gap between intellectual discourse and direct action, refusing to accept the compromises made by older government officials.

The Old Man is an elder representing the drought-stricken province of Abazon. He travels to the capital with a delegation to petition the government for relief. As a master storyteller, he preserves traditional wisdom through parables, using oral narratives to communicate truths about power and survival.

Professor Okong is the Commissioner for Home Affairs. Originally an American Baptist minister who reinvented himself as a political science professor and then a government official, he uses his education to package clichés as wisdom. He provides ideological cover for the regime's actions.

John Kent, affectionately known as Mad Medico, is a British expatriate hospital administrator working in Kangan. He possesses an irreverent sense of humor and refuses to take the pretensions of postcolonial authority seriously, continuing to call the president by his first name.

Braimoh is a working-class taxi driver in Kangan's capital. He belongs to a local union that respects Ikem's journalism for helping clean up the city's taxi parks. He offers a ground-level perspective on the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.

Agatha is Beatrice Okoh's live-in maid. As a member of the working class, she maintains a strict religious routine. Her presence in Beatrice's household highlights the class divisions between Kangan's educated elite and its domestic workers.

Lou is an aggressive American journalist visiting Kangan. She frequently lectures the local leadership on international economics and foreign debt. Her presence at the presidential retreat demonstrates the international forces shaping domestic policy.

Dick is a visiting British poet and editor. He spends time socializing with Kangan's educated elite and expatriate community, observing the tense political and social dynamics of the nation from an outsider's perspective.

Adamma is a young student nurse traveling through Kangan. As an ordinary citizen moving through the unstable country, she faces direct threats from the unpredictable military forces manning the nation's checkpoints.

Captain Medani is an officer in the Kangan military. Unlike many of his ruthless colleagues, he displays surprising civility during his official duties. He represents the faction of the military that feels uncomfortable with the regime's descent into tyranny.

Major-General Ahmed Lango is a senior military commander in Kangan. He is part of the inner circle of military elites who socialize with His Excellency, representing the ever-present threat of internal military politics.