Anna is a middle-aged woman living in London who is attempting to rebuild her life following her mother's death and her separation from her husband. The daughter of a white English woman and a Black West African man she has never met, she often feels a profound sense of isolation. When she discovers her father's old diaries, she becomes determined to travel to West Africa to locate him and piece together her heritage.

Francis is a West African man from the fictional country of Bamana who traveled to London in the 1960s to study engineering. In his youth, he faced intense racial prejudice that pushed him toward socialist and anti-colonialist activism. He later returned to his home country, adopted the name Kofi Adjei, and entered politics, eventually becoming prime minister.

Bronwen is a white English woman who raised Anna as a single mother in London. She met Francis while he was boarding at her family's home in the 1960s. Throughout Anna's childhood, Bronwen adopted a color-blind approach to parenting, refusing to acknowledge the prejudice her daughter faced or discuss her African heritage.

Rose is Anna's twenty-five-year-old daughter. She travels frequently for her job and lives independently. Because she is often perceived as white by society, she holds a cavalier attitude toward racial issues and believes the modern world is largely post-racial.

Robert is Anna's white, affluent husband. His recent affair with a coworker led to their current separation. He is a confident man who is accustomed to having his way and moving through life without questioning his place in society.

Adrian is a white academic and biographer based in Edinburgh. In his youth, he traveled through West Africa and wrote a glowing profile of Bamana's early days of independence. He initially believed in the utopian promises of post-colonial political movements.

Thomas is a student from Rhodesia who befriends Francis in London. He is an active socialist and follower of the Pan-African movement who helps radicalize his friend's political views.

Blessing is Thomas Phiri's wife who lived with him in London during the 1960s. She appears in the historical diary entries and later provides Anna with information regarding her father's past visits to the United Kingdom.

Caryl is Bronwen's sister. Unlike Bronwen, she actively encouraged Anna to explore her African roots during childhood, taking her to cultural festivals. She now resides in a nursing home and struggles with Alzheimer's disease.

Katherine is Anna's neighbor in London. She is a reliable and supportive friend who finds solace in her local church community. She provides practical emotional support when Anna experiences panic attacks.

Ken is an older white consultant who specializes in emerging energy markets, precious metals, and diamonds. He frequently travels to West Africa for business and projects an air of absolute confidence.

Sule is an assistant and right-hand man who manages logistics for prominent political figures in Bamana. He handles schedules, transportation, and security matters with strict professionalism.

Marcellina works for a children's rights group called Bright Futures in Bamana. She is highly critical of the current political administration and works actively to expose human rights abuses and rescue vulnerable youth.

Afua is Francis's daughter who was raised in Bamana. She is deeply protective of her family's reputation and fiercely loyal to her father, taking immense pride in the political legacy he has built.

Kweku is Francis's son and the CEO of Shore Petroleum. He is a successful businessman who benefits from his family's vast connections but remains amiable and relatively grounded during social interactions.

Benita is one of Francis's daughters who grew up in Bamana. She currently lives abroad, intentionally distancing herself from her father's intense political influence.

Kwabena is Francis's son, named after his grandfather. Like his sister Benita, he lives abroad in an effort to escape his father's overbearing presence.

Elizabeth is a woman from Bamana who married Francis after he returned from his studies in London. She raised several children with him while he built his political career.

Peter is Francis's father, originally named Kwabena Adjei before Irish missionaries renamed him. He worked as a servant and later a clerk in the railroad office after escaping enslavement.

Clara is a woman from West Africa who married Peter Aggrey at the age of sixteen. She raised her son Francis until her death, which prompted his early return from London.

Wuyo Ama is an elderly woman in Bamana who performs traditional rites of passage. She possesses deep cultural wisdom and facilitates spiritual connections to ancestral heritage.

Ras Menelik is a political organizer in London who heads up an African liberation movement. He serves as a mentor to young students interested in anti-colonialist actions.

Owen is Bronwen and Caryl's father. In the 1960s, he allowed Francis to board at his flat in London, unknowingly providing the setting where Francis and Bronwen would begin their secret relationship.

Carl Offor is the vicar at the church that Katherine and Anna attend. He provides spiritual leadership for his congregation in London.

Abena is a nine-year-old girl living in a village in Bamana. She suffers severe abuse at the hands of her uncle, highlighting the ongoing human rights issues in the region.

Alex is a man who recognizes the subject of Anna's research at the library. Having been a student in Nigeria during Bamana's political shifts, he offers a cynical perspective on the region's leadership.