Ivory Coast, 1978. Its a golden time, and the nation, tooan oasis of affluence and stability in West Africaseems fueled by something wondrous. Aya is loosely based upon Marguerite Abouets youth in Yop City. It is the story of the studious and clear-sighted 19-year old Aya, her easy-going friends Adjoua and Bintou, and their meddling relatives and neighbors. Its wryly funny, breezy account of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City.