The brothel problem
Dite is an understanding, humble man who loves his wife Lise in spite of her many problems and mental health issues. However, when we meet the character, he has a problem that should strike the reader as ironic, given his relationship with Lise: The problem is that he spends all his time and money buying sex from prostitutes at the brothel down the street. Eventually, his boss figures it out and tells him to stop or else he'll be fired, and that puts an end to it. The irony shows that perhaps his "open-minded" love for Lise is misguided by his sexual attraction to her.
The irony of Nazi sympathies
The most ironic aspect of Dite is something that actually causes him a tremendous deal of unnecessary trouble—he doesn't mind dating and marrying a literal Nazi. Even though the Nazis mistreat him and humiliate him, he seems not to notice. Although he never actually says anything in favor of Nazi Germany, he doesn't really seemed concerned about their occupation. Any time someone doesn't really mind the Nazis, it's seriously ironic.
The irony of inferiority
One of the earliest motifs in the book is the ironic relationship Dite has with power. As a short man, he has been obsessed with physical stature. As a servant and a hotelier, he is also proudest of serving men in power (as the title suggests). In other words, Dite has an ironic obsession with power, because he feels inferior.
The irony of the mentally impaired son
When the couple goes to try to find a better life for themselves with the Nazis, they are mistreated, Dite is humiliated by doctors, and they have to apply for him to have sex with his own wife. Then, when they have the baby, he is born with Down Syndrome and is severely impaired. He spends his life "hammering nails into the floor." This picture is ironic, because it is the exact opposite of what Dite was hoping for in a family.
The irony of service
In the book, Dite receives a golden medal as an award for his outstanding service and humility. That is a high reward, and he gets it after serving the emperor of Ethiopia. This same emperor is believed by the Rastafarians to have been Jesus Christ incarnate, so his appearance in the book is like Dite was waiting on Jesus Christ, so the reward is important. Ironically, no one else cares about it though. This irony highlights that Dite's culture doesn't honor service or humility.
