Description
Ijapa gives full rein to his mischievousness when he takes sides in a fight between Asin (Rat) and his friend, Okere (Squirrel) at a market place. Ijapa, now living alone in Offala, still refuses to do any work, in spite of Okere’s pressure on him to do so. Okere, an awo (dishes) seller at Offala Market, urges Ijapa to sell awo – to take advantage of one of the two best placed stalls in the awo section of the market, the other occupied by her. It is only when Asin comes on the scene and poses a threat to Ijapa’s belief in his ability to outshine anyone in anything he does, that he decides to take Okere’s advice and become an awo seller.
Regretting deeply not taking the stall next to Okere which Asin now occupies, Ijapa is secretly jealous and resentful of Asin – of the progress she is already making – and looks for ways of taking over her stall. To Ijapa’s delight a terrible and unprecedented row erupts one day between Asin and Okere, but Asin’s retaliation to Ijapa’s blatantly unfair way of settling the row will have a disastrous effect on Ijapa and an impact on his life.
