An African monkey, Nkima serves as a companion and servile assistant to Tarzan; provides comic relief in storylines; covertly conveys messages between Tarzan and his allies (rarely targeted by adversaries, who underestimate and overlook him); and, even occasionally leads Tarzan's Waziri warrior and/or animal friends to the ape-man's rescue. Overall, Nkima's role in the novels is somewhat similar to that of Cheeta the chimpanzee in the Tarzan movies. He is portrayed as being especially close to Jad-bal-ja, the lion who served as Tarzan's other primary animal companion.