Nnu Ego is a young Ibo woman whose identity and self-worth are deeply tied to her desire to become a mother. Raised in a traditional rural chiefdom, she tries to adapt to the urban, colonial environment of Lagos. She is a dedicated and hardworking woman who measures her success by her ability to bear and raise children, particularly sons. Her pursuit of successful motherhood directs every major decision in her life.

Nnaife is Nnu Ego’s second husband, a short and stocky man who works in Lagos as a domestic servant for British colonists. He has a laid-back attitude toward life and often avoids imminent worries until they force his hand. He is susceptible to colonial influences and defers to his British employers, viewing his modern urban lifestyle as perfectly acceptable despite his wife's traditional misgivings.

Adaku is Nnaife’s junior wife, joining the family in accordance with Ibo custom after the death of her first husband. She is an ambitious and clever woman who brings a cultivated, youthful appearance to the household. As a junior wife without sons, she feels the intense pressure of patriarchal expectations and proves to be a savvy businesswoman in the local market to secure her own standing.

Agbadi is Nnu Ego’s father and a revered local chief in the rural village of Ibuza. He exemplifies the traditional masculine ideal of Ibo culture, possessing wealth, success, and multiple wives. He holds a deep, possessive affection for his lover, Ona, and exerts a powerful, lifelong influence over his daughter’s personal standards.

Ona is Nnu Ego’s mother, a beautiful woman known for combining stubbornness with arrogance. She is caught between her devotion to her sonless father and her love for Agbadi, managing the competing demands of the men in her life. She maintains a daily steely mask to hide her emotional vulnerabilities.

Amatokwu is a local farmer in Ibuza and Nnu Ego’s first husband. He represents the traditional expectations of a rural Ibo man, valuing a wife primarily for her ability to provide him with an heir. When his marriage to Nnu Ego does not produce children, he immediately pivots to securing another wife to fulfill his needs.

Oshia is Nnu Ego’s eldest surviving son, growing up in the busy environment of Lagos. As the firstborn male, he absorbs the patriarchal norms around him and expects preferential treatment regarding food and chores. He receives the bulk of his mother’s resources to fund his education, holding the family's hopes for future prosperity.

Adim is Nnu Ego and Nnaife's second surviving son. Growing up in the shadow of his older brother, he attends a cheaper local school because the family's funds go to Oshia. He observes the traditional hierarchy that places all resources on the firstborn son and desires to forge his own independent path.

Taiwo is one of Nnu Ego’s older twin daughters. She is pragmatic and focused on the present moment. In a family that prioritizes male education, Taiwo is pulled from school to assist her mother with market trading and domestic tasks in preparation for an eventual arranged marriage.

Kehinde is Nnu Ego’s other older twin daughter. Described as a deep and individualistic thinker, she is less inclined to blindly follow the traditional paths laid out by her parents. She helps with the family’s small business while forming her own opinions about her future and her choice of partner.

Ubani is a fellow domestic worker in Lagos who serves as a cook. He is a steadying presence for Nnaife, offering advice on how to handle urban employment and family crises. He helps connect Nnaife with alternative jobs, such as grass cutting, when domestic work dries up.

Cordelia is the wife of Ubani, the cook. As a neighbor to Nnu Ego in the Lagos servants' compound, she offers practical advice and support, particularly regarding the realities of life married to men employed by white colonists.

Nwakusor is an Ibo dockworker living in Lagos. He is a compassionate neighbor who intervenes during Nnu Ego's moment of extreme crisis. He remains a friendly face in the local Ibo community, participating in neighborhood gatherings and offering cultural guidance.

Ato is a childhood friend of Nnu Ego from Ibuza who now lives in Lagos as Nwakusor's wife. She provides a vital link to Nnu Ego’s past and brings her comforting gifts and encouragement from their rural hometown to help her survive city life.

Mrs. Meers is the British employer of Nnaife and Ubani. She represents the colonial presence in Lagos, exerting control over her servants' personal lives by insisting they adhere to Christian marriage customs while relying heavily on their cheap domestic labor.

Idayi is a close friend and advisor to Chief Agbadi in Ibuza. He serves as a voice of reason and modernity in the village, counseling Agbadi to seek a forward-looking husband for Nnu Ego after her first marriage fails.

Mama Abby is a neighbor in Lagos who keeps a watchful eye on Nnu Ego’s children. She acts as a supportive member of the community, helping to read official letters and offering assistance when Nnu Ego faces bureaucratic or medical emergencies.

Adankwo is the eldest widow of Nnaife’s brother. Residing in Ibuza, she reinforces patriarchal norms by encouraging Nnu Ego to protect her status in Lagos. She refuses to relocate to the city, instead arranging for Nnaife to marry a younger woman.

Nnamdio is Nnu Ego’s third son. Unlike his older brothers who are sent to Western schools in the city, he is born in his mother's rural hometown and is strongly associated with his grandfather, Agbadi, showing an inclination toward traditional pursuits.

Ngozi is Nnu Ego’s firstborn son. His arrival brings immense joy and a sense of cultural validation to Nnu Ego, but his sudden death shortly after birth plunges her into severe despair and sets the tone for her ongoing anxieties about motherhood.