Nene
Nene is a young schoolteacher living in Lagos, Nigeria. She is engaged and then married to Nnaemeka, eventually giving birth to two unnamed sons. Although she is Christian, Nene is not an Ibo like Nnaemeka, leading Nnaemeka's father to refuse to accept the couple's union. Nene is so used to living in cosmopolitan Lagos that she is almost amused by Okeke's prejudice. Despite Okeke's many years of stubborn rejection, Nene persists in her belief that Okeke will accept their family, eventually appealing to his emotions by writing to tell him that his grandsons want to meet their grandfather.
Nnaemeka
Nnaemeka is a young man from an Ibo village who lives and works in Lagos. More modern than his orthodox father, Nnaemeka breaks his community's tradition of arranged marriage by opting to marry for love. Although Nnaemeka anticipates his father's disapproval, he doesn't predict his father's decision to disown him, holding a grudge for years.
Ugoye Nweke
Ugoye is an Ibo woman from Nnaemeka's village who Okeke arranges for Nnaemeka to marry. Although Okeke thinks she will serve as a good Christian wife, Nnaemeka remembers Ugoye from his youth, knowing her to be slow-witted and prone to fighting.
Okeke
Okeke is Nnaemeka's father. Living in an unnamed Ibo village, Okeke is a devout Christian and traditionalist who believes marriages should be arranged by one's family and rejects the importance of marrying for love. When his son betrays his wishes, Okeke reveals his obstinacy and ability to hold a grudge, refusing for several years to have anything to do with his son and his daughter-in-law. Upon learning of the existence of his grandsons, Okeke feels remorse for having cut his family out of his life and he hopes he will live long enough to make it up to them.
