Characters are depicted not just through the perspective of the omniscient narrator but also through the viewpoints of other main characters, providing a rich, multifaceted understanding of their motivations and the forces that have shaped them.

The novel's central character is the chief priest of the god Ulu, who emerged in response to the marauding of the neighboring Abame tribe. The mercenaries from Abame raided the six villages now united as Umuaro to capture slaves. The chief priest has married three wives, one of whom has passed away, and tends to shift his affections from his older sons to his younger ones. Through the eyes of his eldest son Edogo, he appears single-minded and expects everyone to think like him. Thus, the increasing isolation, significantly fueled by the advance of colonialism, is partly attributed to him. As the novel begins, Ezuelu is troubled by the escalation of a minor conflict with the nearby Okperi tribe, whom he believes are entitled to a disputed piece of land. His arguments against going to war are well-considered and demonstrate his historical knowledge. However, a powerful speaker and wealthy leader, Nwaka, prevails. Unfortunately, the delegate sent to Okperi loses his temper after being taunted about his virility and breaks the ikenga, or ancestral image, of the Okperi spokesman, who then kills him. The resulting war is suppressed by the British District Officer, Winterbottom, who rules in favor of the Okperi. The choice of Winterbottom's name is humorous, as it seems to be a euphemism for "ashy buttocks," the undignified insult hurled at the British in Things Fall Apart.

Winterbottom serves as a chief foil to Ezuelu, depicted as a colonial governor with superior sensitivity and common sense. After the war, he breaks all the guns in Umuaro and earns an epithet that reflects this action. Winterbottom is also an idealist who firmly believes in the mission of British colonialism. He was promoted to Captain during the British campaign against the Germans in Cameroon in 1916, and although the Nigerian climate often makes him ill, he has adapted to it. He is one of five British male officials in the area, the others being Tony Clarke, Roberts, Wade, and Wright. There is also the dedicated and stern missionary Dr. Mary Savage, who is initially secretly courted by Winterbottom and later marries him, and the Nigerian Anglican preacher John Goodcountry, who exploits Umuaro's yam crisis to gain converts.

Clarke serves as Winterbottom's assistant, stepping in for "Poor John Macmillan," who has "died from cerebral malaria." Wright, who oversees the road construction, displays an inhumanity reminiscent of Simon Legree. He routinely beats the workers, including Ezuelu's son Obika, and fails to pay them. Clarke defends Wright by ignoring reports of abuse and denying their occurrence in his reports. Characters with less intelligence, like Wright, are more inclined to use derogatory terms for the Africans. Wade, a minimally developed character, assists Clarke and steals a coin from a roadside sacrifice, even alarming Clarke with this act of desecration. Achebe's nuanced portrayal of these colonial figures shows he isn't crafting a reverse version of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1902), contrary to some critics' claims.

Ezuelu's significant relations include his four sons: Obika, the second son and heir apparent; Oduche, sent to a Christian school; and Edogo, the eldest son. Obika drinks heavily, often with his friend Ofoedu, who is "never absent from the scene of a fight." Obika defends his half-sister Akueke after her husband beats her, humiliating and nearly killing the batterer. Despite his rash temperament and being beaten by Wright for insolence while working on the road, Obika has a sensitive and caring relationship with his wife, Okuata. He dies of a fever during a festival, adding to the suffering that leads to Ezuelu's defeat and madness. Oduche's overzealous adherence to Christian literalism is treated comically. Ezuelu has two wives: Matefi, the senior, and Ugoye, the younger. His first wife, Okuata, who died three years before the novel's events, is the mother of daughters Adeze and Okueke, and the eldest son Edogo, who lives in a separate compound. Matefi's children are Obika and Ojiugo, while Ugoye's are Obiageli and Nwafo, who was cured of nighttime convulsions by a sacred image or okposi. These children are young enough to be friends with, tease, and tell stories to Akueke's daughter Nkechi. Amoge, Edogo's wife, has lost her first child, and her second is very sickly. Ezuelu also has a younger brother, Okeke Onenyi, who advocates for Akueke's safety when her abusive husband wants her back.

Ezuelu's closest friend is Okbuefi Akuebue, who belongs to the same age group and is one of the few "whose words gain[ed] entrance into Ezuelu's ear." Akuebue can even tell Ezuelu when he is wrong. They share dryly witty conversations when not addressing serious matters and often take snuff together. After Obika is whipped, Akuebue visits the priest, and along with Edogo, they discuss the incident. Edogo and Akuebue argue that Obika was mistreated, while Ezuelu blames Obika's fondness for palm wine and his irresponsible friend Ofoedu for the trouble.

Many citizens of Umuaro also offer advice, debate precedents, or openly disagree with Ezuelu. Among them is the wealthy Nwaka, who has five wives; the vulgar warmonger Akukelia, who is killed after desecrating an Okperi man's household god; and Egonwanne, one of the village's oldest men, who advocates for war with the Okperi. Another well-drawn character is Moses Unachukwu, a Christian carpenter much older than the young men working on the road. He knows English well and acts as an interpreter between them and Wright, at one point preventing Obika from attacking him. Nweke Ukpaka, a witty road worker, incites conflict with his irreverent jokes but defends keeping the carpenter around for his English skills and knowledge of the white man. Another man supports this, emphasizing the need to ask the white man why they haven't been paid for their work on the road.

The most significant gathering of citizens occurs when they try to persuade Ezuelu to eat the yams quickly. To appease Ezuelu, the influential Nwaka is excluded from the ten-man delegation. Other dignitaries, including Ezekwesili, Egonwanne, Anichebe Udeozo, Onnenyi Nnanyelugo, and Ofoka, attempt to convince him to change his mind. Each of these characters is vividly depicted, with their unique approaches and styles of speaking.