a few are fully described, and some remain unnamed. Those more interested in self-promotion than the country's welfare include Reginald Okong, Commissioner for Home Affairs, and the dictator, Samson. Ikem refers to Okong as a Rasputin, while Chris describes him as a man with ‘‘no sense of political morality.’’ Okong, who became a Baptist Minister ordained in America, managed to deceive the Americans into believing he had more education in his native country than he did. He worked his way through junior college by preaching and wrestling, earned a Ph.D., and much to the dismay of his Baptist American mentors, returned to Africa. He writes a column for theGazette titled ‘‘String Along with Reggie Okong’’; he is a cliché-spouting expert at changing his political affiliations. Ikem has criticized Chris for allowing Okong to run the column. Sam views Okong as an example of the bizarre ideas left behind by colonialism. Okong disparages Ikem in front of Sam, but his excessive use of proverbs leads to Sam's mistrust.

Sam's background and preparation for his role as dictator are thoroughly detailed by various characters. Initially, Ikem believes Sam could succeed with the right guidance. Mad Medico, the sole British member of the cabinet (whom Sam once saved from deportation), tells Beatrice that Sam was once a decent person, "morally and intellectually intact." At a cocktail party, he shares a story with his male colleagues about Sam's sexual escapades with an assertive British woman. (Chris has already recounted this tale to Beatrice in bed.) Though the story seems humorous, it underscores Sam's fascination with British culture and his tendency to be overly impressed by and mimic white British individuals. Chris reveals that Sam is not very intelligent and is completely tone-deaf, indicating his lack of subtlety. However, this flaw hasn't hindered him from mastering the imitation of British speech. Sam joined the military to become a "gentleman" and is a natural actor. Ikem justifies that Sam is better than most African tyrants but observes that he is distancing himself from the cabinet to "perfect his act." Nonetheless, much of Sam's behavior is influenced by the very tyrants who have returned to England. His eventual lynching by his own people starkly contrasts with the Biblical Samson's death, where Samson destroys the Philistines.

Mad Medico is the only British cabinet member, serving as the Minister of Health and Director of Administration at the Bassa General Hospital. He adores Kangan, viewing it as an escape from British rigidity. He has made two "mistakes" that nearly led to his deportation: criticizing the greedy doctor Ofe, who let a man suffer and die because he couldn't pay, and posting signs with provocative double meanings over the ward entrances, such as "Blessed are the poor in heart for they shall see God" over the cardiology ward. He defends himself by claiming that Nigerians are illiterate and won't understand puns like "Sodom and Gonorrhea" over the venereal disease ward. Despite his flaws, Mad Medico is connected to other positively "mad" characters in Achebe's previous novels. "Mad" enough to unsettle his interrogators later in the story, he is abruptly deported after being questioned about a fabricated regicide plot against Ikem.

Among the minor male characters, we find the British editor of the magazine Reject, which, as its name suggests, publishes works turned down by other journals. Additionally, there's the Attorney General, who initially praises Sam, and Major Johnson (Samsonite) Ossai, the chief of the secret police. Ossai is promoted to Colonel as the unrest in the Presidential Palace intensifies and his interrogation skills become more essential.

As the story advances, other male figures, not central to politics, also play crucial roles. These include Emmanuel Obete, the head of the student union at the university, who hides with Ikem while both are fugitives from the police; Braimoh, a taxi driver; and Sebastian, Chris's steward. The introduction of these characters later in the book signifies the broadening of the protagonists' social circle.

This expansion is mirrored by the increased significance of female characters in the novel, beyond just socially prominent ones. Critics have highlighted Beatrice's role, not merely as a sounding board for male ideas or a representation of femininity, but as someone who takes on traditionally male roles, such as during the naming ceremony at the end. This adds a richer, more human dimension to the novel compared to previous works.

Beatrice is Chris's lover and initially suffers from his emotional distance. She holds a First Class degree in English from London University and is the unwanted youngest daughter of a Christian father who beats his wife, possibly because she has "failed" to produce a son. Her second, African name, Nwanyibuife, is an apology for not being a boy. She is also depicted as needing the stories she lost due to Christian conversion. Although her upbringing has made her reclusive, she becomes more active with Chris and her female friends. As a woman with heightened sensitivity, she serves as an important link to the past she has been denied.

This connection appears to give her a mysterious power. For instance, when she is invited to a perilous party at the Presidential Retreat (which Chris implies is safe), she uses her sexuality to counter both the prejudices and advances of the dictator. At the party, Sam is infatuated with an inebriated white American journalist but forces Beatrice to sit with him. Beatrice distracts him with seductive dancing to avoid being overshadowed by the journalist, and just as Sam becomes aggressive, she rejects his advances, thwarting what she calls a Desdemona complex. Her tactic earns her an immediate ride home with Major Ossai as her chauffeur. The next day, she has her first major argument with Chris, which is resolved when he recognizes her suffering.

Beatrice's development is evident in her improved relationship with Agatha, her servant, whom she initially dislikes because Agatha is a born-again Christian. Additionally, Beatrice cares for the pregnant Elewa following Ikem's murder.

Elewa, Ikem's beloved, speaks Pidgin and lacks extensive formal education, but she is beautiful and a wonderful lover. She has a grounded, practical personality. Although sometimes naïve, she serves as a stabilizing force for Ikem and as a bridge between the elite, British-educated characters and the common people. The novel concludes with the naming of Ikem and Elewa's baby.

Abdul
A cab driver and family man who empathizes with Chris's situation. He uses his cab to help Chris escape the city and collaborates with Emmanuel to plan Chris's journey north.

Adamma
A passenger on the bus with Chris, Emmanuel, and Abdul as they flee Bassa for safety. Adamma is nearly raped but is saved by Chris, who is subsequently shot and killed. She then returns to Kangan with Emmanuel.

Agatha
Agatha is Beatrice's flighty, religious, and judgmental housemaid. A devout Christian who regularly attends church services, she disapproves of Beatrice allowing Chris into her bed. Beatrice often loses patience with Agatha but grows to feel more compassion for her as the novel progresses.

Elewa
Ikem's pregnant girlfriend, Elewa, symbolizes the common people. Unlike Chris, Ikem, and Beatrice, she is semi-literate and works in a shop. She is very emotional and expressive. Through Elewa, Beatrice learns that humble origins do not equate to weakness or insecurity. Elewa's emotional outbursts reveal her resilience and self-confidence.

General Ahmed Lango
General Lango is a deceitful man who infiltrates Sam's inner circle, only to orchestrate the coup that leads to Sam's downfall and death.

Emmanuel Obete
Emmanuel is a student leader at his university and a great admirer of Chris. When Chris is forced to flee for his life, Emmanuel accompanies him, helping with the intricate plans to keep Chris safe. He is present when Chris is killed and later informs Beatrice of Chris's dignity in his final moments. Emmanuel contrasts the typical students Ikem criticizes in his university speech, where he calls students and workers the most neglectful of their civic duties. Achebe implies that Emmanuel will continue Chris's mission of encouraging independent thought despite environmental hardships.

Beatrice Okoh
Chris's fiancée, Beatrice, is one of Achebe's most complex female characters. She works for Sam and is an old friend of Ikem, making her a significant player in the novel's events through her connections to Chris, Ikem, and Sam. Born as the fifth daughter (with one deceased sister), her father, who had hoped for a son, named her Nwanyibuife, meaning "A Woman Is Also Something." As an adult, Beatrice is well-educated, holding an honors degree in English from the University of London. She occupies an important civil service role as an administrator in a state office and enjoys writing short fiction, which Ikem admires for its "muscularity" and "masculine" qualities.

Beatrice embodies sophistication, intelligence, and independence, yet she possesses an intuitive connection with the common people. Despite never having intended to pursue a governmental career, she is deeply troubled by accusations of ambition. In truth, her lifelong wish has been to enjoy her peaceful solitude without drawing attention. Achebe firmly roots her in the mythic tradition of her people, portraying her as a manifestation of Idemili, a goddess sent to guide humanity's morality. Although Beatrice is unaware of this myth, she evolves into a woman of wisdom, self-awareness, and compassion as she reconnects with her cultural heritage. By the novel's conclusion, she takes part in the naming ceremony for Ikem and Elewa's daughter, bestowing the name Amaechina, which means "May the Path Never Close." This act is bold not only for giving a traditionally male name to a female but also for assuming a role traditionally reserved for men.

Professor Reginald Okong
Once a Baptist minister and political scientist, Professor Okong was one of the first individuals Chris recommended for Sam's Cabinet. However, Chris later regrets this recommendation, realizing that Okong "has no sense of political morality."

Christopher Oriko
In his youth, Chris attended Lord Lugard College with his friends Ikem and Sam, where he played the role of mediator between the athletic Sam and the intellectual Ikem. As adults, the trio holds significant positions in Kangan's new military regime, with Chris serving as Commissioner for Information, once again acting as the intermediary between Sam and Ikem. Chris left his role as editor of the National Gazette to join Sam's Cabinet, leading to Ikem taking over as editor. This shift makes Chris Ikem's superior, yet he answers to Sam, placing him in the difficult position of trying to align Ikem with Sam's directives. Though Chris recognizes Sam's descent into power madness, he hesitates to leave his Cabinet role. He ultimately takes a stand when Sam orders him to fire Ikem, sparking a series of perilous events. While fleeing for his life, Chris encounters the "people" and gains a deeper understanding of his country. He is killed while attempting to save a girl from being raped at a chaotic party, and his final words are, "The last green." This phrase refers to an old joke shared among Chris, Ikem, and Sam, where they imagined themselves as three green bottles on a shelf, each destined to fall.

Ikem Osodi
Ikem, the outspoken and reform-oriented editor of the state-run National Gazette, frequently finds himself at odds with his childhood friend Sam, the president of Kangan. His role involves disseminating Sam's messages to the public, which Sam perceives as a demonstration of his power extending from the capital to the people. However, Ikem is a staunch advocate for a free and independent press, free from government interference. He often debates with Chris about the impact of his editorials, but Ikem firmly believes that even if his efforts seem futile, he must persist in publishing them.

Although Ikem is a London-educated intellectual, he is deeply attuned to the needs of ordinary people. His editorials are frequently critical of the new ruling regime, leading Sam to view him as a traitor. Ikem argues that passion, rather than facts, is the most effective weapon against ineffective or unjust governments. Unlike Chris, Ikem is an extremist who is uninterested in gradual progress, using his influential position as a journalist to demand immediate change. In a speech to students, Ikem elaborates on the storyteller's role, asserting that writers should pose questions and challenge the status quo. He ends his speech with the proclamation, "Writers don't give prescriptions. They give headaches!" Ikem also humorously suggests putting Sam's head on the country's coins, which is misinterpreted as a call for the president's beheading. With his fate sealed, Ikem is taken by government secret police in the night and killed. Nevertheless, his influence endures among the people and his friends, bolstered by the fact that he leaves behind a girlfriend who is about to give birth to their child.

Major Johnson Ossai
Major Ossai, the head of Sam's security force known as the State Research Council (SRC), is a brutal and menacing figure who tries to soothe Sam's insecurities whenever he can. One of his torture methods involves using a simple stapler on the hands of those he interrogates for information.

Sam
Sam has recently become the president of the military regime that took power after a coup, a position he attained largely due to the efforts of his schoolmates, Chris and Ikem. He is characterized as being both very athletic and charming, having adopted the manners of an English gentleman. Early in the novel, Ikem remarks on Sam's ‘‘sense of theatre,’’ noting that Sam ‘‘is essentially an actor and many of the things we criticize him for are merely scenes from his repertoire, to which he may have no real moral commitment.’’ Despite having attended the prestigious Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Sam knows he is unprepared for his new role as the head of the government. Nonetheless, he quickly becomes intoxicated by power, demanding to be addressed as ‘‘Your Excellency’’ and aspiring to be elected ‘‘President for Life.’’ Although military school trained Sam and his peers to stay detached from political matters, Sam initially felt quite frightened by his new position. His solution was to assemble his friends and appoint some of them to government roles so he could seek their guidance. Once he overcame his initial fear, he began to enjoy his power, becoming extremely angry at even the slightest protests against him.

Chris recognizes that Sam is evolving into a dictator and considers him a ‘‘baby monster,’’ but Sam is solely focused on consolidating as much power as possible without engaging with the country's populace. In fact, he is starving a rebellious province in an attempt to force them into submission. He soon becomes consumed by paranoia, anger, and insecurity. When his political ambitions are thwarted, he recalls being warned about the dangers of childhood friends. After orchestrating Ikem's murder and causing Chris to flee, Sam himself is killed during a coup and buried in a shallow grave.