Kofi
He is the main protagonist, named after his grandfather Offin. He is a young brilliant boy who spends most of his evenings by the river with his best friend Ebo. He is secretly in love with Ama but does not know how to tell her. He gets bullied by his cousin, who also wants Ama. Kofi challenges him to a swimming duel hoping to win. Kofi is a curious child who always asks about things. He is told to wait for his initiation to adulthood to be told the answers to his questions. He adores his family so much and is against anyone who mentions ever wanting to leave their village, Kwanta. He stood up to his cousin to defend Ama’s honor one time and gets beaten badly. He is captured by men from lower Kwanta village as retribution for what his brother did. He is made to watch his brother being killed by the giant Bonsu, which rips him apart. In addition, his kidnappers deliver him to the slave traders separating him from his friends and family. He endures pain, torture, and suffering at the hands of his captors.
Ebo
Ebo is Kofi’s best friend and classmate with whom they spend their evenings by the river. He is Kofi’s cheerleader, helping him to practice for the swimming duel against his cousin. They are inseparable even in school. Ebo and Kofi always get naughty together and punished together. He and Kofi make fun of their teacher all the time. He makes fun of Kofi Katari’s swimming skills to give courage to Kofi, his friend. He cheers on Kofi that he will defeat his cousin in their swimming duel. He is also known for his skills in setting up traps for the grass cutters.
Kofi Katari
He is Kofi’s cousin, also known as Kofi. They were born on the same day but he was the first with a few hours. He bullies Kofi and disrespects Ama, Kofi’s secret crush. He is proud and arrogant, always seeing himself as important. Kofi walks with his goons everywhere he goes. He calls himself a lion and intimidates and beats anyone who dares cross him. The kids his age fear him for he is known to be strong. However, he is very dumb in school, performing dismally. He believes that he is great in everything that he does and can never be outranked. He is seen to be helpless when he asks his cousin, Kofi for help when the ship was sinking.
Bonsu
He is the lower Kwanta village hero who wins battle after battle yearly. He is known as a giant for his strength and physique. He gets injured during the wrestling that year while fighting Kwasi and is forced to retreat. He later kills Kwasi when his village captured Kwasi and his brother as retribution for killing their prince during the wrestling festival.
Philip Goodluck
He is Kofi’s teacher formerly known as Kwaku Ansah. He changed his name after attending a missionary school for his training as a teacher. He punishes Kofi and his classmates for speaking their native language, Twi. He insists that the only mother tongue they should speak is, the Queen’s language. He is seen to be brainwashed as he embraces the western culture abandoning his native culture. His punishments involve making them read and role-play English novels and plays. He teaches about European history and their culture instead of teaching the culture of his people, the Asante Kingdom. He advises Kofi to work hard and leave Asante as there is more to life out of Asante. He is the real representation of Western civilization's influence on Africans in the nineteenth century.
Kwasi
He is the eldest brother to Kofi whom Kofi loves and adores very much. He eats a lot as described by Kofi when their Maame has to put aside Kofi’s portion to prevent Kwasi from finishing food for Kofi. Kwasi is always taunting and teasing his brother telling him about monsters which he knows creeps him out. He is selected to represent the upper Kwanta village in the annual battle. He fights and wins although killing the only heir to the lower Kwanta village, Prince Yaw. Although the case gets ruled as an accident, he becomes depressed for a while reliving his guilt. Kwasi is later grabbed by men from lower Kwanta village and endures a lot of physical torture with his fingers being plucked one by one. He is made to fight three men including Bonsu which leads to his death.
Ama
She is the girl that Kofi is in love with. She lives with her uncle being a maid in exchange for food and a roof over her head since her parent’s death. She also likes Kofi and defends his honor whenever his cousin bullies him. She encourages Kofi that he would win against his cousin and offers him tips on how to swim better. She is seen to be always working and not resting and this bothers Kofi so much.
