Character and Characterization in Fathers of Nations

Major Characters and their Characterization in Fathers of Nations

Major Characters and their Characterization in Fathers of Nations

CHARACTER

A character is a person or other being in a story/novel that a writer uses to perform actions or speak dialogue
to move the story along the plot.

CHARACTERIZATION

This is a description of a character’s physical traits, their viewpoints, personalities, thoughts and actions.

The novel ‘Fathers of Nations’ has the following characters;

Karanja Kimani A.K.A Professor Kimani

Ngobile Melusi A.K.A. Comrade Melusi
Chineke Chiamaka A.K.A Pastor Chiamaka
Seif Tahir A.K.A. Engineer Tahir
Abiola Afolabi A.K.A. Dr Afolabi A.K.A ‘The Guide’
Fiona McKenzie
Newborn Walomu
Asiya Omondi
Tunisia nicknamed ‘Tuni’
Ian McKenzie
Elspeth McKenzie
Rahmah Mahmoud
President Simba Ibarosa
President Wasiwasi Wesiga
Mr. Tad Longway

DR. AFOLABI

A graduate from Harvard University and a lecturer at University Ibadan, Nigeria.

He is also an author of Failure of States as revealed during an interview with Fiona McKenzie.
He was the guide to the four Path Alpha advocates. His major role in the novel was to offer advice to the
heads of state about the two documents in the summit.

Character traits.

Proud
 During an interview with Ms. McKenzie, he proudly says that he only attended the summit because he was
invited by the heads of state.
He expects total obedience from Professor Kimani despite never giving his name. He literally demands,
‘Obey, Professor Kimani, obey” (pg. 3).
He commands Pastor Chiamaka to obey him and not argue with him. Moreover, he demands and warns the
pastor never to talk back to the Guide ever again (pg.18).
When asked why he came to the summit, he proudly says he never came to the summit—he was invited by
the president. (Pg 9)
After a comprehensive introduction by Ms. McKenzie, Dr. Abiola averted his eyes to enjoy the fame he had
created. (Pg 6)
He dresses well and does not appear as typical professors do.
In pg.6, Ms McKenzie points out how she expected to see an academic scarecrow dressed in jeans but
instead saw an attractive well-dressed man who might as well be a business person.
In pg.9 he emphasises the fact that he did not come to the summit but rather was invited by presidents.
Emphasis is placed on the word presidents.

Secretive

He refuses to reveal his identity to the four observers. He only calls himself the guide.
In Boston he meets Pamela’s father but promises to never disclose this to her.
He is aware that his family are organizing a second wife for him since Pamela hasn’t given birth to children of
her own but discloses this to her.

Authoritative.

He authoritatively commands the four Path Alpha advocates to obey and follow his instructions as their
guide.

Wise.

He says that he understands the two documents. He is invited to the summit by the heads of state to give
advice on Way Omega but finds Path Alpha as the best solution to Africa’s problems.
He came up with a clever way to include Path Alpha strategy on the summit’s agenda.

Intelligent

He attended Harvard University and is also a lecturer.

He also wrote a book ‘Failure of States’ as revealed by Fiona McKenzie.

Sociable/Affable

Despite Ms. McKenzie’s ambush in Pg. 4, Dr Afolabi is friendly and talks easily with her good-naturedly.

Persuasive

At his first meeting with Prof. Kimani, he successfully convinces him to join Path Alpha.
To convince him, he repeatedly refers to Prof. Kimani’s history—something he is proud of. ..from your history
again...

Hot tempered / temperamental / short tempered

 Ms McKenzie says that his book was pessimistic and he goes off becoming rude and belittling Ms McKenzie
(pg. 8-9).
He called her a third-rate reporter(pg.9). He gets especially angry when Ms McKenzie abruptly cuts him off as
he is about to explain the similarities between his book is similar and Way Omega (pg.10).
The author uses phrases such as, ‘.... suppressing hot anger’ and ‘... he almost shouted’ to express how
angry the doctor was at Ms McKenzie.
He snaps, ‘Later!’ at Professor Kimani when he asks the guide who he is (pg.3). When asked his name by
Pastor Chiamaka he gets suddenly angry and shouts at him (pg.17).
He gets furious at Ms. McKenzie (Pg. 9) when she informs him that her boss wants her in his office in the
middle of the interview; he gets annoyed to the point that, when asked if he is ok, he almost shouts.
When Prof. Kimani answers his phone but takes too long to respond, the person who conceals his identity and
is referred to as the guide (later revealed to be Dr. Abiola) becomes very irritated very quickly.(Pg 2) Tired of
so many questions from Pastor Chiamaka (Pg. 17), he shouts at the pastor, ordering him to shut his mouth.

Egoistic

He looks down upon Fiona McKenzie (Pg. 9). Ms McKenzie says that his book was pessimistic and he goes off
becoming rude and belittling Ms McKenzie (pg. 8-9).
He thinks that Fiona is just a journalist who doesn’t know much about books.
This is when Ms. McKenzie terms him a pessimist in his book, "Failure of Nations."
What do you know about books in any way? (Pg9) While bragging about his superiority and how special he is,
he also says that he never came to the meeting; instead, he was invited. Firm He orders the man carrying
McKenzie carelessly by her waist to put her down.
When the man asks him whether he is a man enough to repeat what he has said, he says, "Yes, yes, I told
you to put her down."

Rude

He hangs up the phone instead of answering Professor Kimani’s inquiry on his name (pg.4). He snaps at
Pastor Chiamaka to shut his mouth as they are talking and arguing on the phone (pg.17).

PASTOR CHINEKE CHIAMAKA

He became a preacher after miraculously surviving an accident. Later had a church of his own (CIA) in Lagos,
Nigeria.
He got arrested and banned from preaching after attacking the president of Nigeria for making a memo
public instead of looking for solutions to problems.

Character traits.

Inquisitive

He insists on knowing who the guide really is even after being told to shut up.

Courageous/Firm/Bold

He got arrested for boldly criticizing the government without fear during a sermon. The congregants fail to
respond for fear of being arrested but this does not prevent him from talking.
Insistent

When the guide calls him for the second time to inform him about the meeting and remind him that they are
supposed to be walking together, he asks the guide why he won’t say who he is.

Keen

He was keen to check and identify the items that were in the briefcase while at Seamount Hotel. The guide
had called to confirm that the items were all received.

Short tempered.

He gets angry when he is asked by the guide about the business he had at the bar. He felt the guide was
beginning to get into his nerves…he felt a lump of anger rise up in his throat.

Opportunistic

When the guide lowers his temper after the two have had an argument, Chiamaka uses the opportunity to
ask him on the record more about who he is. "…Look! "You and I are supposed to be walking together, on the
same mission," Pastor Chiamaka responds, "then why won’t you tell me your real name?" (Pg. 1–8)

PROFESSOR KARANJA KIMANI

He studied at the University of Oxford and later became a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi in the
Institute of Development Studies department.
He won the heart of a campus beauty queen, Asiya Omondi, and they had a daughter called Tuni.

Character traits;

Loving

Prof. Kimani loved his wife and daughter.

When Asiya informed him that she was leaving he tried to convince her to stay but the efforts did not bear
any fruit.
He was traumatized after the death of Tuni. Even after the burial he is still grief-stricken.

Abusive

He calls MP Newborn Walomu a greedy fat baboon when he allegedly ‘stole’ his wife.

Intelligent

He studied at the University of Oxford and became a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nairobi where he
received his professorship.

Short tempered

He gets angry and violent when he confronts MP Walomu in his office after stealing his wife.

Determined/Persistent
 He pushed his agendas regardless of what others thought. Professor Kimani saw these agendas as his ‘wars.’
Only a month into his position as a senior lecturer at UON, he pushed for the university to strive for relevance
to the society rather than simply excellence of its work and six months later he won as the university
changed its motto to ‘‘Relevance to the Society’ (pg.21).
He pushed for UON to be an agent of change not a mere spectator of it regardless of others 9his collegues)
viewing this idea as too radical and simple-minded (pg.21).

Pragmatic

A pragmatic individual is one who thinks of or deals with issues logically, in accordance with the actual
circumstances at hand, as opposed to according to predetermined theories, concepts, or rules.
He thinks practically, logically about issues of govenment and life.
For example, with his conversation with Tuni as they are eating ice-cream.
He logically relates the global economic recession to it bringing change to Africa in terms of adoption of
foreign development strategies (pg.22-23).

Hot tempered

Angry that Walomu stole his wife, he decides to go and attack him.

Idealistic

He is very idealistic.
An idealist is a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc. a visionary or
impractical person.
A person who represents things as they might or should be rather than as they are.
Though professor Kimani has idealistic ideas and thoughts he nevertheless does not hide from the reality of
what is happening in the world around him.
He strives for change such as the changes he made as a university professor when he was still young.

Pessimistic

An individual who is pessimistic tends to have a propensity for assuming the worst or viewing situations
negatively.
Through out the book Professor Kimani is very pessimistic about the state of governance in Africa. Majory he
cites the corruption perpetuated by politicians and that is pervasive in all areas of society, impunity and
poverty.

Caustic

Caustic in this sense means harshly critical.

He is harshly critical of the government and anyone he doesnt like.

COMRADE MELUSI
 Comrade Melusi is a politician from Zimbabwe. He was a husband to Ziliza who lost her life during tribal wars
and he blames the Zimbabwean president for the loss.

Character traits;

Curious

After doing medical tests as requested by AGDA, he discovers that he is diabetic.

He reads pamphlets about diabetes and how to manage it. The writer uses simile to compare that to how
new car owners read the manual.

Firm/Insistent

When it is his turn to be cleared by the security at the summit’s venue, he is found with a needle in a
cellophane pouch but insists that he must get in with it on the account of being diabetic and he succeeds.

Loving

He is sobbing as he tries to remember how he lost his wife Ziliza. He loved her very much.
While on his bed daydreaming about her, he pulls out her photograph from the wallet which he looks at
before he is interrupted by a call he receives from the guide

Observant

Comrade Melusi observes that there are only two customers in the restaurant as at 1.30 pm when he met Mr.
Tad.

ENG. SEIF TAHIR

He is an Engineer having graduated from Abdelaziz Academy in Tripoli and later studied weapon
development at the University of Paris.
He joined the Fist of Allah that got dismantled after returning from overseas.

Character traits;

Chauvinistic

He is humiliated when he misinterprets Rahmah Mamoud’s yes for a no and slaps her.

Vengeful

When Rahmah Mahmoud sheds her head veil, he slaps her to revenge being rejected and pretends that he
was concerned with the violation of Libyan culture and tradition.

Resentful

He regrets taking Rahmah Mahmoud to court for making him lose his left eye.
The court made a verdict that Rahmah Mahmoud’s eye was also to be removed through surgery…an eye for
an eye… He becomes restless like never before.

Fiona McKenzie
Quick Overview

Adopted parents are Ian and Elspeth McKenzie; Scottish missionaries who were in Banjul.
Her birth parents died when Fiona was less than a year old and that was when she was adopted.
Ms. McKenzie is 35 years of age and works for The Gambian News as a reporter though as she is in the
middle of an interview with Dr Afolabi she is abruptly called into the office and sent off on loan to the Voice of
America (VOA).

Character traits of Fiona in Fathers of Nations

Commanding/Authoritative

When she first meets Dr Afolabi, she commands him to follow her and shows him where to sit and expects
her command to be obeyed (pg. 5).
Dr Afolabi follows her command despite not knowing who she is or why she wants him to follow and sit with
her.

Humorous

She jokingly tells Dr. Abiola to go take a photo because he is young for his forty-five years. "Go have your
picture taken right now, Dr. Afolabi, You won’t always look this good. "I am joking, go." (Pg6)

Appreciative/Courteous

She thanks Dr. Afolabi for agreeing to have an interview with her. "First and foremost, I want to thank you for
agreeing to participate in this interview."

Abusive

When her boss calls her, she tells Dr. Afolabi, "The silly boss wants me." (Pg 10)

Temperamental

McKenzie was spitting words with bile left in her mouth from an earlier exchange (Pg 134).
She could no longer hide her anger. (Pg 135)

Critical

She questions Dr Afolabi’s support of Way Omega demanding to know if his support of the document is due
to the contents within or the prestige of its authors (pg.8).
She points out that Dr Afolabi’s book is in stark contrast to Way Omega with regard to the future of Africa.

Persistent
 She continuously continues to affirm and question Dr Afolabi on the pessimistic nature of his book despite
the fact that Dr Afolabi opposes the view that his book is pessimistic about the future of Africa (pg. 8-9).

Rude

In her initial meeting with Dr Afolabi, she incessantly asks him the same question and demands an answer
despite Dr Afolabi’s taking offence in her line of questioning (pg. 8-9).
Also, Dr Afolabi outrightly accuses her of being rude (pg.9)
Despite having accosted Dr Afolabi she leaves abruptly cutting him short which angers the good doctor
(pg.10).
She calls her boss ‘silly boss’ (pg.10).

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Major Characters and their Characterization in Fathers of Nations Video Lesson

Minor Characters and their Characterization in Fathers of Nations

Minor Characters in Fathers of Nations and their Characterization

Tunisia nicknamed ‘Tuni’

Daughter to Professor Kimani and his wife Asiya.

She was named Tuni as it was believed that Tunisia was her country of conception (pg.22).

Dies in a freak road accident.

Character traits of Tuni in Fathers of Nations

Intelligent

She understands her father well (pg.22-24).

For example, she is able to follow her father’s complex conversation about the state of jobs and incomes despite
being very young.

Observant

She observes that her father is not enjoying his ice-cream despite him not saying a word about it (pg.23).

Stubborn
Inquisitive

Firm/ Determined/ Resolute

Bold

Asiya Omondi
Previously wife to Prof. Kimani and mother to Tuni, she divorced Prof. Kimani because of his financial status; she’s
now wife to Newborn Walomu.

Character traits of Asiya in Fathers of Nations

Materialistic

She chooses to marry Newborn Walomu at the age of sixty because he is wealthy and owns four cars.

She leaves Prof. Kimani because he is poor, having only one car, which is again faulty. (Pg 33)

Even when Prof. Kimani says that money doesn’t guarantee happiness, she says, "Never having had it, how would
you know that it doesn't?"

Rahmah Mahmoud
Character Traits of Rahmah Mahmoud in Fathers of Nations

Temporary

When Seif Tahir slaps her, she becomes emotional and strikes Seifin in the left eye, slitting it open. (Pg 122)

Violent

She slits Seif’s eye after a slight provocation from Seife. President Didier Banguiora

Candid

After considering what the first two speakers had said, he decided to support Path Alpha.

He says candidly that there is no need to adopt Way Omega because it was once adopted.
President Simba Ibarosa
Character traits of President Simba Ibarosa

Firm

He has never spoken up to make friends or make amends; he is free to express his feelings and opinions.

President Wasiwasi Wesiga

Character traits of President WasiWasi

Schemer

He anticipated many coups and nipped them in the bud before they got off the ground.

At the summation, he reminds the chair of the "trick" when he realizes that the situation is getting out of hand (Pg.
65). 12.

Thaddues Longway
Informed

It is his first meeting with Dr. Afolabi, but he knows that he is the man serving as an adviser to the heads of state at
the summit (Pg. 73).

He is also aware of Way Omega and Path Alpha, and he tells Dr. Afolabi that Way Omega and Path Alpha differ like
day and night in that Way Omega is top-driven and lacks the will of implementation.

Path Alpha is bottom-led, and it has will.

Persuasive

When Dr. Afolabi is adamant about being the guide for Path Alpha travelers, Tad Longway informs him that there is
no problem since he’s the advisor to the summit.

He tells him to look at what Way Omega is recommending for adoption and what Path Alpha is proposing as an
alternative. He tells him that he is open-minded. (Pg 74)

Newborn Walomu: Character and Role

He has formerly been a junior colleague of Prof. Kimani at the University of Nairobi.
He is an MP—a rich MP with four cars. He "stole" Prof. Kimani‘s wife, Asiya.

Corrupt

When he leaves teaching, he swims in money and amasses a lot of wealth, which attracts Kimani’s wife to him. (Pg
30)

Immoral/ Promiscuous

Walomu has three wives, and Asiya will be his fourth, yet he has many other women whom he engages in sexual
activity with—those he calls "killed but not eaten" (Pg. 36).

He goes on to say that a true bull dies with his grass in his mouth. (Pg 37)

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Minor Characters in Fathers of Nations and their Characterization Video Lesson

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