The story is the tragedy of Okafor, a village palm wine tapper, who fell from a palm tree and fractured his leg. Relations carried him miles away, to the home of a witch-doctor, or "Juju-man." According to some people, this wise and grey-haired old man had mystical powers. After greetings, gifts were presented. The Juju-man examined the injured man, invoked the gods of the land and poured a libation. Then he caught a cock and broke one of its legs and said to Okafor: "The day you see this cock walk, you will walk." The novel does well to illustrate the culture that frames the context, characters and narrative. African words are introduced throughout the text, traditions are explained, proverbs feature prominently, and character is built through vivid descriptions and flashbacks of past events. There is a real mounting sense of a disintegrating community spirit, as younger generations become more selfish and money-oriented.