Village of Umuofia
An Interactive Learning Environment

Character Roles

 

Virtual characters in the Village of Umuofia are drawn from Things Fall Apart. Their roles can be assumed by participants who have been given user names and passwords.


Okonkwo's Family:

Okonkwo
A great farmer and warrior and who achieved one of the highest titles in the clan through hard work and commitment to the community. He believes strongly in the value and justice of his village’s traditions.

First_Wife
Okonkwo's First Wife, the honored companion of a tribal leader. She has junior wives in her compound who helps her with the responsibilities of a large extended family. She has two sons and a daughter.

Ekwefi
The second wife of Okonkwo, her loyalty is to her husband, his first wife, and her daughter Ezinma.

Ojiugo
The youngest wife of Okonkwo and has two senior wives. Part of an important family in the village which provides for all of her material needs. Her daughter is Nkechi.

Unoka
Father of Okonkwo, a lover of music and palm wine. He enjoys festivals and is not very successful growing yams.

Nwoye
His father is Okonkwo and his mother is Okonkwo's first wife. His sister is Obiageli. His father expects him to embody his attributes, industriousness and manliness.

Ikemefuna
An adopted son of the tribal leader brought to Umuofia to settle a dispute. A close friend to his adopted brother, Nwoye.

Ezinma
The daughter of Okonkwo and Ekwefi.

Obiageli
The daughter of Okonkwo and his first wife, sister to Nwoye, close to her mother, his second wife, and enjoys the company of women in the compound.

Nkechi
The daughter of Okonkwo and Ojiugo.

Citizens of Umuofia:

Obierika
Friend of Okonkwo, a high ranking member of the clan and a great farmer and warrior.


Maduku

The son of Obierka and a great wrestler and respected young man in the tribe.

Akueke

The daughter of Obierka, and soon to be married to Ibe.

Ibe
A successful young man in the tribe seeking to marry Akueke.

Ukegbu
A member of the sacred Egwugwu society who supports the religious traditions and values of the tribe. With fellow society members helps enforce tribal laws and resolve problems. Son is Ibe.

Okagbue
The village medicine man who has a great knowledge of the history of the tribe and traditional healing methods.

Ogbuefi_Ezendu
One of the oldest and wisest members of the tribe. Always open to discussion, even with people with whom he does not agree. Once a great warrior, but now values peace and the lives of tribal members above all.

Ogbuefi_Ugouna
One of the highest titled men of the tribe, but has cut his anklet to become Christian.

Chielo
The priestess of the Agbala, the oracle of the hills and caves. Most of the time a widow of one of the members of the village, but at certain times she is called to be an oracle of the gods. She is honored by your important role in the religion of the tribe.

Nwakibie
A successful yam farmer -- loaned yams to Okonkwo to help him get started.

Anasi
Wife of Nwakibie.

Nwayieke
A much respected older woman in the tribe.

Obiako
A palm wine tapper; gathers palm tree sap and carefully ferment to create wine -- an important person for any celebration or festival.

Village_Crier
W
alks through the village beating an Ogene gong and shouting the news.

Osu
Considered “untouchable” and must always do the dirtiest and hardest work in the village.

Enoch
A zealous convert to Christianity who killed Umuofia's sacred python.

Citizens of Mbanta:

Uchendu
Okonkwo's wise uncle who graciously receives him in Mbanta.

Amikwu
The son of Uchendu and lives in Mbanta.

Njide
The daughter of Uchendu and lives in Mbanta.

Okoli
Lives in Mbanta, is an Osu, and an active convert to the Christian religion; killed his village's sacred Python.

Umunna
The oldest man in the village of Mbanta.

Nneka
A pregnant woman who has several times given birth to twins in the past -- forced to leave her previous children in the evil forest.

Africans from other Villages:

Ozoemena
A female survivor of the village of Abame. After a white man on a bicycle was killed, the British army came to Abame village on Eke market day, surrounded it and began to fire their terrible repeating guns into the crowd. She has come to warn Umuofia and Mbanta of the dangers of the British.

Mr._Kiaga
An Ibo from Umuru, a village near the sea, and an early convert to Christianity. He has come to the village of Mbanta to bring others to his faith.

Akunna
A great man from another village who talks extensively with Mr._Brown about religion.

Kotma and Ashy-Buttocks
Court messangers from Umuru, a tribe near the coast that speaks a somewhat different dialect from the people of Umuofia. Their village was one of the first colonized by the British and they have worked hard to learn to speak and write English. They work for the District Commissioner and will do what is necessary to keep their position.

British

Mr._Brown
A liberal Christian Missionary who has dedicated his life to bringing Africans to Christianity. He respects Africans as people and hopes to help them understand by reasonable argument and education that their beliefs are superstitious.

Mr._Smith
A fundamentalist missionary who has dedicated his life to saving heathens from eternal damnation. He considers African beliefs to be ignorant and unbiblical, and he wonders whether anyone who has once had such beliefs can ever be trusted, especially in positions of church leadership.

District_Commissioner
An officer of the British Army who has been given authority over the Lower Niger region. His hope is to pacify African resistance to the British. He supports the work of missionaries converting these primitive people. He has court messengers who work for him, and, if needed, he can request support from the British army occupying the country.


Return to Village of Umuofia Home Page