Professor

Professor is a complex character who operates a truck stop and auto-parts store while clandestinely running a business forging driver's licenses. A man of profound religious fervor, he seeks spiritual insight in unconventional places, such as betting sheets or traffic signs, keeping these as cryptic tokens of divine communication. His unconventional beliefs led to his expulsion from his role as a lay reader and Sunday school teacher, resulting in a bitter disillusionment with the church. His establishment, positioned within sight of this institution, becomes a symbolic battleground for his silent rebellion. The climax of his story arc occurs during a religious ritual at the Ogun festival, where he provides palm wine to the celebrants. It is during this celebration that Say Tokyo Kid, incensed by alcohol and the charged atmosphere, fatally stabs him.

Say Tokyo Kid

Say Tokyo Kid stands out as a defiant driver of timber trucks, revered for the dangerous yet clean cargo he transports. His leadership of a group of unemployed drivers occasionally finds them entangled in political machinations, such as when they are hired for rallies. Disdainful of passenger drivers, whom he regards as beneath him, Say Tokyo Kid's pride and fiery temperament reach a crescendo at the Ogun festival. Intoxicated and provoked, he violently challenges an egungun mask, an act that culminates in the fatal stabbing of Professor. However, his defiance is met with retribution when the egungun mask retaliates, lifting and crushing him with lethal force.

Kotonu

Kotonu, known for driving the passenger vehicle "No Danger No Delay," is characterized by his cautious and considerate approach, even placing himself in danger to avoid harm to animals. His conscientiousness starkly contrasts with the reckless abandon of other drivers. A harrowing near-miss event, wherein a truck plunges through a decrepit bridge causing mass casualties, prompts him to reevaluate his career choice. Subsequently, during an Ogun festival, Kotonu inadvertently offends the god when he runs over an ancestral mask. As events spiral, he finds himself coerced by Samson into assuming the blood-soaked Ogun dancer's costume.

Salubi

Salubi is an earnest yet struggling driver-in-training, trapped in a vicious cycle where he cannot secure employment without a license, nor obtain a license without a job. His desperation leads him into a scheme with Professor to produce a forged license using Kotonu’s credentials. Salubi further compromises his integrity by stealing Kotonu’s uniform. In the tumult of the Ogun festival, he becomes an unwitting accessory to violence by discreetly passing a knife to Say Tokyo Kid, leading to Professor's tragic end.

Samson

Samson serves as both a companion and conductor for Kotonu, earning his keep by recruiting passengers for their shared truck routes. Having invested his own savings into Kotonu's license, Samson feels deeply entangled in Kotonu’s fortunes. The looming possibility of Kotonu’s retirement forces him to attempt to liquidate their joint venture by selling the license through Professor. Despite his efforts, Samson's plans unravel amidst the chaos that ensues at the festival.

Particulars Joe

Particulars Joe epitomizes the corruption endemic in the local police force. As a policeman, he maintains a symbiotic relationship with Professor, extracting bribes in exchange for overlooking the latter’s illicit forgery operations. His visits, though ostensibly official, are more about maintaining his own graft than pursuing justice. After the Ogun festival, he appears under the guise of investigating the theft of a mask, but his true motives remain suspect.

Murano

Murano, a mute and enigmatic figure, serves as Professor’s loyal palm-wine tapper and protector. Rescued by Professor from the brink of death following an accident, Murano embodies a silent witness to the drama unfolding around him. His presence in the story highlights the professor's compassionate side, as he regards Murano as a soul perpetually teetering on the edge of mortality.

Chief-in-Town

Chief-in-Town is a political opportunist who employs Say Tokyo Kid's group of drivers for his rallies, seeking to leverage their numbers for political gain. His character embodies the intersection of politics and the struggles of the working class, particularly how politicians exploit vulnerable individuals for personal advantage without regard for their well-being.