The Girl with the Louding Voice Character Analysis

Adunni

Adunni is the protagonist and narrator of The Girl with the Louding Voice. She is an intelligent, feisty, and determined 14-year-old girl from Ikati, a rural village in Nigeria. In the beginning of the… read analysis of Adunni

Ms. Tia/Tia Dada

Tia Dada, whom Adunni refers to as Ms. Tia, is a wealthy woman who lives in Big Madam’s neighborhood. She is from a wealthy family in Port Harcourt, was educated in the UK, and… read analysis of Ms. Tia/Tia Dada

Big Madam (Florence Adeoti)

Big Madam and her husband, Big Daddy, are Adunni’s employers after she is tricked into indentured servitude. Big Madam is a physically large and highly successful Nigerian businesswoman. She owns a shop, Kayla’s… read analysis of Big Madam (Florence Adeoti)

Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti)

Big Daddy is Big Madam’s unemployed, lecherous, alcoholic husband. According to Kofi, Big Madam’s chef, Big Daddy is always away on “women business,” engaging in numerous affairs with women and underage girls. At… read analysis of Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti)

Khadija

Morufu’s second wife, Khadija, was married when she was just 15 years old. Her father married her off for money after he became sick with diabetes and could no longer work, just as Papa… read analysis of Khadija

Morufu

Morufu is Adunni, Khadija, and Labake’s husband. He’s an old man who works as a taxi driver in Adunni’s village. Morufu agrees to compensate Adunni’s family financially in exchange for her hand… read analysis of Morufu

Rebecca

Rebecca is Big Madam and Big Daddy’s former housemaid who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Adunni is her replacement. Throughout the novel, characters avoid talking about Rebecca; Big Madam, in particular, is desperate to change… read analysis of Rebecca

Mama (Idowu)

Mama was Adunni, Kayus, and Born-boy’s mother and Papa’s wife. She died after a long period of illness prior to the events of the novel. Adunni turns to memories of Mama… read analysis of Mama (Idowu)

Papa

Papa is Adunni, Kayus, and Born-boy’s father who. At the beginning of the novel, he sells Adunni as a bride to Morufu, a much older man, in exchange for rent money… read analysis of Papa

Kayus

Kayus is Adunni and Born-boy’s 11-year-old younger brother and Papa and Mama’s son. He is kind and loving, and he and Adunni are very close. Kayus and Adunni are very close and loyal… read analysis of Kayus

Born-boy (Alao)

Born-boy is Adunni and Kayus’s older brother and Papa and Mama’s son. He is 19 years old and the family’s eldest child. His real name is Alao, and he works at Kassim Motors… read analysis of Born-boy (Alao)

Kola

Kola, who Adunni refers to as Mr. Kola, is Iya’s brother. He owns a car and cell phone, which Iya proudly regards as emblematic of his financial success. Adunni turns to Kola and Iya… read analysis of Kola

Kofi

Kofi is the cook at Big Madam and Big Daddy’s house. He is from Ghana and is using the money he earns working for Big Madam to finish building a house back home… read analysis of Kofi

Kenneth Dada/The Doctor

Kenneth Dada is Ms. Tia’s husband. Ms. Tia refers to him as Ken, and Adunni refers to him as simply “the doctor.” He is fertility doctor, helping women become pregnant—a job he was inspired… read analysis of Kenneth Dada/The Doctor

Doctor Mama

“Doctor mama” is Kenneth Dada’s mother and Ms. Tia’s mother-in-law. Adunni refers to her as simply “doctor mama.” Doctor mama repeatedly shows up at the Dada house to pester Ms. Tia about having… read analysis of Doctor Mama

Ms. Tia’s Mother

Ms. Tia’s mother lives in Port Harcourt and is terminally ill for the entirety of the novel. Ms. Tia leaves Lagos on several occasions to care for her sick mother. They have a rather strained… read analysis of Ms. Tia’s Mother

Labake

Labake is Morufu’s first wife. Morufu took Khadija as a second wife after Labake failed to give birth to a son, and Adunni as a third wife later on. Labake takes out her frustration… read analysis of Labake

Kike

Kike is Labake and Morufu’s daughter. She and Adunni used to play together in the village before Adunni was forced to marry Morufu. Kike lies for Adunni when Labake accuses Adunni of using her… read analysis of Kike

Bamidele

Bamidele is Khadija’s lover from Kere village. Khadija is pregnant with Bamidele’s baby at the time of her death. Khadija and Bamidele had a relationship when they were younger but had to break it… read analysis of Bamidele

Iya

Iya is a poor, sickly woman living in Agan village. Iya is the Yoruba name for “old woman,” and Adunni doesn’t know Iya’s real name. Mama would bring Iya food when she was still alive… read analysis of Iya

Caroline Bankole

Caroline Bankole is Big Madam’s best friend. She is the wife of a rich oil businessman. Caroline is having an affair with Big Daddy, which Big Madam discovers at the end of the… read analysis of Caroline Bankole

Abu

Abu is Big Madam’s driver. Abu and Adunni don’t talk much, though they are always friendly toward each other. It was Abu who found the note that Rebecca left in the car the day… read analysis of Abu

The Prophet

The prophet leads Ms. Tia’s fertility bath ritual. As Adunni, Ms. Tia, and doctor mama are leaving the church where the bath takes place, Adunni sees the prophet leading another woman through the… read analysis of The Prophet

Bamidele’s Wife

Bamidele’s wife lives with Bamidele in Kere village. When Adunni and Khadija arrive in town to search for Bamidele and perform the river ritual, Bamidele’s wife is pregnant with his legitimate child. When Adunni comes… read analysis of Bamidele’s Wife

Ade

Ade, a man from a rich family in Lagos, was Mama’s lover before she married Papa. Ade and Mama met when Ade was visiting his grandmother in Ikati. Ade’s family forbade the marriage… read analysis of Ade

Enitan

Enitan is Adunni’s friend in Ikati village. Enitan loves to do hair and wants to open a makeup business. She regards Adunni’s marriage as a good thing, reasoning that it will improve Adunni and… read analysis of Enitan

Asabi

Asabi is a girl from Adunni’s village who ran away from her husband to be with her lover, Tafa, but was caught and punished by being forced to stay alone in a single… read analysis of Asabi

Lamidi

Lamidi is a farmer from Adunni’s village who kills his friend in a fight. The village punishes him by flogging him in the village square until he dies. It is Lamidi’s fate that convinces… read analysis of Lamidi

Big Daddy’s Sisters

Big Daddy’s sisters visit Big Madam to try to convince her to let Big Daddy come home after the affair with Caroline Bankole. Big Madam is bitter toward Big Daddy’s family because they weren’t… read analysis of Big Daddy’s Sisters

Minor Characters

Chisom

Chisom is Caroline Bankole’s housemaid. Caroline treats Chisolm better than Big Madam treats Adunni—she has nice clothing, braided hair, painted nails, and plenty of food to eat. It’s Chisom who fills Adunni in about Rebecca’s time at Big Madam’s house.

Mother Tinu/Mother-in-Jerusalem Tinu

Mother Tinu is the head of the “female birth-makers” at the church where Ms. Tia undergoes the fertility bath ritual.

The Birth-Makers

The “female birth-makers” flog Ms. Tia during the fertility bath ritual. The women carry out the flogging without emotion, but as they cleanse Ms. Tia’s wounds afterward, they seem apologetic for their violence.

Ruka

Ruka is Adunni’s friend in Ikati village. Like Enitan, Ruka doesn’t understand Adunni’s reluctance to accept her marriage to Morufu.

Mr. Bada

Mr. Bada is Papa’s friend who occasionally comes over to talk politics and watch TV. Adunni runs into Mr. Bada as she is fleeing the village, though he doesn’t suspect that she’s running away.

Katie

Katie is Ms. Tia’s friend from the UK. Ms. Tia shows Adunni Katie’s picture to demonstrate how Facebook works. Adunni references Katie on a few occasions to make a point about race.

Kemi

Kemi is Big Madam’s sister. Big Madam talks on the phone to Kemi after discovering Big Daddy’s affair with Caroline Bankole. Kemi doesn’t seem to believe Big Madam, an instance of women not supporting other women and, by extension, reinforcing patriarchal oppression.

Kayla

Kayla is Big Madam’s daughter. Big Madam’s store, Kayla’s Fabrics, is named after her. Kayla is engaged to Kunle, the son of a senator, which is a big bragging point for Big Madam.

Officer Kamson

Officer Kamson is the officer who arrives at Big Madam’s house after she calls the police to accuse Big Daddy of being involved in Rebecca’s disappearance.

Aunty Sisi

Aunty Sisi is Adunni’s aunty.

Kunle

Kunle is Kayla’s fiancé.

Tafa

Tafa is Asabi’s lover. The village hangs him as punishment for stealing another man’s wife.

Alafia

Alafia is one of Khadija’s daughters with Morufu.

Kofo

Kofo is of Khadija’s daughters with Morufu.

Baba Ogun

Baba Ogun is the man Kike marries.