El Hadji is a 50-year-old prosperous Senegalese businessman who operates a lucrative import-export shop in Dakar. Formerly a primary-school instructor with revolutionary leanings, he has grown comfortable in his wealth and heavily relies on imported European goods. His elevation to traditional nobility upon marrying his third wife is abruptly halted when he discovers he has contracted a xala, or impotence, leaving him desperate for a cure.

N'Gone is El Hadji's 19-year-old third wife. Having failed her elementary certificate exams, she possesses limited professional prospects, leading her parents to arrange a financially secure match for her. She mostly follows the instructions of her domineering aunt and serves as a quiet, submissive figure in the early days of her marriage.

Yay Bineta is N'Gone's paternal aunt and godmother, holding the traditional status of Badyen. Widowed twice, she wields significant influence within her family and the community. She is a status-conscious mistress of ceremonies who carefully engineers El Hadji's marriage to her niece, securing financial stability for the girl.

Adja Awa Astou is El Hadji's first wife and the mother of six of his children. Raised Catholic on the island of Gorée under the name Renée, she converted to Islam to marry El Hadji and later earned her honorific title during a pilgrimage to Mecca. She is a pious and dutiful woman who maintains a dignified silence regarding her husband's choices.

Oumi N'Doye is El Hadji's second wife and the mother of five of his children. Passionate, outspoken, and materialistic, she embraces French styles and closely follows women's magazines. She fiercely guards her position in the household, relying on her physical appeal to maintain her husband's attention.

Rama is El Hadji and Adja's 20-year-old eldest daughter and a university student. Having inherited some of her father's early revolutionary spirit, she actively advocates for making Wolof the national language of Senegal. She openly opposes polygamy and refuses to accept the traditional submission expected of women in her family.

Modu is El Hadji's loyal chauffeur. Observant and empathetic, he understands the traditional customs of the region far better than his European-leaning employer. He actively tries to help El Hadji navigate his sudden affliction by connecting him with local solutions.

A chanting vagrant who maintains a steady spot on the street corner near El Hadji's business. While most locals find his singing pleasant, his daily presence deeply offends the businessman. He collects coins from passersby and stoically returns to his corner even after being arrested by the police.

Pathé is a recently qualified practicing psychiatrist and Rama's fiancé. He approaches medical issues with a scientific mindset and shares a modern, egalitarian relationship with Rama based on mutual respect.

Mam Fatou is N'Gone's mother. Worried about her daughter's financial future and lack of education, she pushes for N'Gone to marry a wealthy man. She frequently clashes with her sister-in-law over control of the family affairs.

Old Babacar is N'Gone's father and Yay Bineta's brother. He is a retiree living on a modest quarterly pension, largely allowing the women in his family to dictate the terms of his daughter's courtship.

Madame Diouf is the secretary at El Hadji's import-export shop. She fields his calls, manages his appointments, and serves as an object of his casual attention when business is running smoothly.

Papa John is Adja Awa Astou's father. A third-generation African Catholic living on the island of Gorée, he remains deeply nostalgic for the colonial era and refuses to visit the mainland as he grows older.

Sereen Mada is a renowned marabout and traditional healer who lives in a rural community. His reputation for resolving difficult supernatural problems draws the attention of Dakar's elite.

Mactar is El Hadji and Oumi N'Doye's son. He observes the tensions within his polygamist family and acutely notices his father's increasingly reactionary behavior.

Mariem is Oumi N'Doye and El Hadji's 15-year-old daughter. She eagerly adopts modern European fashions and relies on her father for spending money to entertain herself and her friends.

Alassane is a secondary chauffeur employed by El Hadji. His primary duty is driving a minibus to ferry the children from El Hadji's first two wives to and from their schools.