Onyesonwu (Onye) Ubaid-Ogundimu- Onye is the protagonist of Who Fears Death. She is an Ewu child, meaning she is a child of rape and has an Okeke mother (Najeeba) and Nuru father (Daib). She is a strong-willed woman who desires to become a sorceress and learn the Great Mystic Points. She is trained to do this by Aro the Sorcerer. She is also Eshu, which means she has the power to shapeshift, something that helps her escape danger throughout the story.
Mwita- Mwita is Onye's life partner, and overall, they have a very complicated relationship that goes beyond a simple marriage. He has an Okeke mother and Nuru father, but he was created from love and not rape, unlike Onye. He went through initiation to become a sorcerer but did not pass, although he was very close. His trainer at one point was Daib, Onye's birth father. His parents were killed, so he lives with Aro the Sorcerer who also tries to train him. He is also known for being a healer and helps Onye in her journey immensely.
Enuigwe- Enuigwe is the name of the child that Onye is pregnant with. The name stands for “the heavens,” the home of all things, even the Okeke and Nuru.
Najeeba / Kponyungo- Najeeba is Onye's mother. She was brutally raped by Daib while Holding Conversation in the desert with the other women older than 15 in her village. She and Onye travel in the desert until Onye turns six, and Najeeba decides that her daughter needs socialization so they move to Jwahir. She gets remarried to Fadil when Onye is young. She only speaks in a whisper because her voice is damaged from screaming when she was tortured. She was a part of ”the salt people“ growing up, and she has the ability to turn into Kponyungo and can travel unbelievable distances anywhere in the world in a short period of time, which allows her to help Onye in her journey at times.
Fadil Ogundimu- Fadil is Onye's “Papa,” or stepfather. He is referred to as Onye's father by most characters throughout the story. Onye takes his last name, although he is not her birth father. He dies when Onye is just sixteen years old, and she impulsively uses her sorceress powers to bring him back to life briefly, a moment of tension in the story. Fadil is ultimately the only father figure that Onye actually recognized in her life, so she is unbelievably distraught when he passes.
Diti Goitsemedime- Diti is one of Onye's Eleventh Rite mates. She is married to Fanasi. She is known to like gossiping. One of her closest friends is Binta and she eventually uses this friendship to avoid her husband. She decides to leave with Onye on her journey mostly because she and Fanasi both want to see life outside of Jwahir. Eventually, the journey becomes too much, and she returns to Jwahir with Fanasi.
Binta Keita- Binta is one of Onye's Eleventh Rite mates. She is assaulted by her father when she is young, and the Eleventh Rite juju helps her escape the abuse. She is described as a lighthearted girl, despite the fact that she poisons her father before leaving to join Onye on her journey to Durfa to fight Daib. She is stoned and killed by the Nurus in Papa Shee along the way for defending Onye's being an Ewu. In turn, Onye blinds every person in the town as revenge. She dies before experiencing true love.
Luyu Chiki- Luyu becomes Onye's closest friend from the Eleventh Rite passage. She is the boldest of the three girls and is known for being confident in her sexual promiscuity. When the group encounters the Vah, Luyu spends many nights with different men, enjoying her sexuality proudly as the Vah do. She is the only one, besides Mwita, that stays with Onye throughout her entire journey to Durfa. She is killed at the end of the story by the Nuru men in Durfa.
Fanasi- Fanasi is the son of the breadmaker in Jwahir. He has been Diti's love since they were young, and he becomes her husband. He was not thrilled to accompany the girls and Mwita on their journey, but he would follow Diti anywhere. Fanasi becomes close with Mwita along the journey primarily because they are the only men on the trip. He has frequent arguments with Diti on the trip and eventually decides to sleep with Luyu. After the sandstorm, he decides to head back to Jwahir with Diti, and they take Sandi the camel with them.
Aro- Aro is a sorcerer and a mentor to both Mwita and Onye. On several occasions, Aro tries to deny Onye from training in the Mystic Points on the sole fact that she is a woman. Eventually, he trains Onye in the Mystic points after she proves herself and passes the initiation. He grew up in Gadi, a small fishing town near the Seven Rivers Kingdom, which is eventually destroyed by the fighting caused by the Okeke and Nuru. Few people know that Aro is a sorcerer, and Fadil describes him as the man who had structured the government and created the fairest system in Jwahir.
Sola- Sola is a part of Onye's induction into The Mystic Points training. He was surprised that an Ewu woman could pass through the initiation. He used to be Daib's mentor until “everything went wrong.” He plays a part in Onye becoming a sorcerer and helps her at times during her journey.
Fanta- Fanta is the twin son of the Ada. He lives in Banza with his twin sister, and together they bring “good luck” to the town. After his sister dies, he knows that he has to leave Banza because he is no longer good luck, and the town will stop supporting him. Onye convinces him to head to Jawhir to find his mother, The Ada.
Nuumu- Nuumu is the twin daughter of the Ada. She has had Scoliosis since she was thirteen, and when Onye finally comes across the twins, Mwita and Onye realize that Nuumu will die soon because of the condition. Onye tries to heal her, but she ends up letting Nuumu die because she knew that is what she wanted.
Ababuo- Ababuo from Gadi, one of the Seven River cities. He is the photographer/journalist who comes to share the news with the people of Jwahir about the tragedy in the West.
The Ada- The Ada is one of the town elders in the House of Osgubo. When she was young, her name was Yere. She had twins with a man from her younger years who eventually left her, and she gave her twins away to live with her Aunt in another town. She is also married to Aro, but they live separate lives. The Ada also plays a small roll in The Eleventh Rite Ritual. She has helped Aro enchant the blade used with juju. The Ada also knows what is happening with everyone in Jwahir. She makes sure the proper ceremonies are performed for births, deaths, the Eleventh and Thirteenth Year Rite, and other important celebrations and life markers.
Lady Abadie- Lady Abadie is the town healer.
Ochi Naka- Ochi Naka is the market seamstress.
Zuni Whan- Zuni Whan is an architect.
Abeo Ogundimu- Abeo is a “mother of 15,” and she is also Onye's great aunt. Onye says that Abeo never liked her.
Nana the Wise- Nana the Wise is the leader of the Eleventh Rite ceremony. She is also one of the town elders in the House of Osugbo. Onye goes to visit her to try to learn more about sorcery, initiation, and the Great Mystic Points.
Dika The Seer- Dika the Seer works with the Osugbo Elders. He tells the people of Jwahir to have faith concerning the hardships in the West.
Oyo the Ponderer- Oyo is an Osugbo Elder who reassures the people of Jwahir that the tragedy in the West should not affect them and that there is no reason for them to leave.
Titi- Titi is the apprentice to Dika the Seer.
Kona- Kona is the apprentice to Oyo the Ponderer.
Daib- Daib is Onye's birth father and a powerful sorcerer who trained Mwita. He often haunts Onye's dreams. When Onye “dies” and is reassembled she immediately travels to Durfa through the “wilderness” and attempts to fight Daib. He beats her nearly to death. He is also Eshu and kills Mwita after shapeshifting into a tiger.
Bisi- Bisi is Daib's mother, and she is the reason women in Durfa receive educations.
Rana the Seer- Rana the Seer is a Nuru seer who works in Daib's building in Durfa. She is the one that prophesied that a Nuru sorcerer would come and change what was written in the Great Book. Onye believes, however, that she is the one prophesied to rewrite the Great Book.
Anai- Anai is the leader of the soldiers that Luyu, Onye, and Mwita interact with before entering Durfa.
Bunk/Tamer- Bunk and Tamer are other Nuru soldiers that work alongside Anai.
Shukwu- Shukwu is the boat driver that helps Onye and Luyu get to Rana's Island.
Chieftess Sessa- Chieftess Sessa is the female chief of the Vah. She is the mother of Eyess although she is not married to Chief Usson.
Chief Usson- Chief Usson is the male chief of the Vah. He is the father of Eyess but is not married to Chieftess Sessa.
Ssaiku- Ssaiku is Ting's master. He has a magical connection to both Sola and Aro, however, it is never divulged how they are connected.
Ting- Ting is a female sorceress studying with Ssaiku who respects the rules of mastering the Mystic Points. She will not allow herself to be touched by a man. She has seen her fate and knows that she dies an old woman content with life.
Eyess- Eyess is the child of Chieftess Sessa and Chief Usson of the Vah. She has a fascination with Onye and is one of the very few of the Red People (Vah) that can touch Onye without getting shocked. She is distraught when Onye eventually has to leave the Vah to head to Durfa.
Xabief- Xabief is Najeeba's father.
Sa'eeda- Sa'eeda is Najeeba's mother.
Ani- Ani is the goddess and all-powerful deity of all creation.
Zoubeir the Great- Zoubeir is a boy who was born a natural leader and destined to be Suntown's greatest chief. He lives near and has chemistry with Tia. Tia saves him from getting killed, he hides behind her body, escapes, and becomes the greatest chief Suntown ever had.
Tia- Tia is the child of two peasants who was born on the same day as Zoubeir. She lived a quiet and sad life and was beaten by her father. When the soldiers came and found Zoubeir, she jumps in front of him and takes the bullet because she knows he is special and will make things better for their community. She is never mentioned in the Great Book again after this sacrifice.
Sandi- Sandi is the camel that the group encounters near Papa Shee. Sandi has a way of communicating with Onye because she grew up in the desert and has a connection with nature. Sandi is also a useful resource for food and transportation until Diti and Fanasi take her with them while traveling back to Jwahir.
This page compiled by Linnea Nordstrom & Rachel Roberts.