Odili is both the protagonist and narrator of A Man of the People. Initially, his goals are to pursue higher education to become a better and more successful teacher. However, he is drawn in by Chief Nanga’s charm, and his view of the world is toppled when he witnesses the corruption in national politics and government. For Nanga’s perceived wrongs against him, Odili decides to embark on a path of political and personal revenge.

Odili, like all people, is flawed. Throughout most of the story he is naïve, and it leads to problems for him, such as reconciling with Max’s acceptance of dirty money during their political campaign. His view of women and his assumptions about his father also cause problems in his personal relationships. His strengths include his intelligence, although that becomes a barrier when he wants to connect with the public to gain their favor, and his ethical compass. Despite the fact that he strays from what he knows is right, Odili is able to realign himself at the end of the book.