Chinua Achebe has said that Mister Johnson struck him as superficial and helped form his determination to write his own novels about Nigeria.

Rudbeck conceives the notion that a road linking Fada to the main highway and larger population centers will be of great benefit to the region.

Johnson stands out as one of Cary's most exuberant characters, possessing a contagious enthusiasm that elevates the spirits of everyone around him.

Johnson now goes to work for Gollup, a retired army sergeant who has married a Nigerian woman and runs the local store.

Gollup is an abusive drunkard given to racist epithets, but he admires Johnson's good-humored courage in facing up to his words and blows.

Rudbeck follows his heart rather than the rules and does so, though the act will destroy his career and possibly have other ramifications, legal and personal, that lie beyond the close of the novel.

The book was adapted into the 1990 film Mister Johnson starring Maynard Eziashi in the titular role and Pierce Brosnan as Harry Rudbeck.

The 1985 Indian film Massey Sahib starring Raghubir Yadav and Arundhati Roy is based on this novel.