Tally O is a criminal, a conman, and a fraudster. A known member of the underworld, he is simply not to be trusted by anyone. To avoid being caught, he adopts a number of aliases and multiple identities, but beneath them all is a shameless fraudster, ready, willing, and able to part the unsuspecting from their hard-earned cash.

Tally O's expertise as a con artist can be seen when he manages to defraud Mama Orojo out of 2,000 cedis, the currency used in Ghana, by selling her a fake gold ring. This is just one of many adventures that Mama Orojo experiences after heading to Ghana in search of her brother Nii, from whom she was separated as a child. Mama Orojo went to Nigeria, whereas Nii stayed behind in Ghana, but Mama Orojo is sure that her brother is still alive.

Tally O is the kind of criminal who thrives in countries where the rule of law is weak or non-existent, or where there is rampant corruption. He's not just an everyday common crook; he's a very ambitious criminal whose overweening ambition leads him to get involved in illegal gold mining.

One of Tally O's partners in this shady enterprise is Joe Boye, a seemingly respectable businessman who sells Mama Orojo some gold; this time, though, it is real gold.