The Last Days at Forcados High School

Wole wakes sixteen-year-old Jimi early on the morning of his first day back at school. Jimi is pleased to see his brother, although Wole has already taken money from his drawer. At breakfast, their father, Kola, discovers that Wole has returned and orders him to leave. Kemi pleads for her son, and Jimi joins her in asking their father to forgive him. Wole brushes off the confrontation. Jimi leaves for school upset and meets Ansa, his next-door neighbour and schoolmate, outside.

Jimi and Ansa arrive for the first assembly of the term, led by head boy Seyi Lawal. Afterwards, students crowd around Jimi while Ansa, a quiet and talented painter, feels overlooked. Nene tells Ansa about a girl who is expected to join their year. Later, away from the bustle, Jimi thinks about Wole and remembers how close they used to be. Seyi calls him to a prefects’ meeting with the principal, Mr Mallum. Near the office, the boys notice a woman and a girl who is out of uniform.

Efua’s mother, Funmi, brings her to live with Aunt Moni in Lagos. Nene helps Efua settle in and introduces her to Jimi and Ansa. Efua remembers Jimi from primary school and embarrasses him by recalling how he once put a dead lizard on her desk. Her first day is uncomfortable because the teachers question her late admission. Mr Mallum knows that Efua earned excellent grades at St Catherine’s but was expelled after running away. He places her on probation. Alone afterwards, Efua thinks about the school and friends she left behind.

A misplaced briefcase sets off another argument in the Solade home. Kola suspects Wole, and Jimi speaks up when his father turns his anger on Kemi. Later, Jimi accompanies Wole to a drinking spot, where he tries to appear comfortable among Wole’s acquaintances. He runs when the police arrive. Back at home, Wole retrieves a packet of marijuana he had slipped into Jimi’s jeans. Jimi had gone out because he wanted time with his brother. He comes home knowing Wole was willing to put him at risk.

Efua writes privately about missing St Catherine’s and regretting how she left. At Forcados, Jimi tries to get to know her, but she finds his confidence showy and rebuffs him. She also rejects Jolly Stephens, who takes offence and threatens to get back at her. Some students nickname her the Witch, turning her guarded behaviour into a reputation. Nene tries to talk to her about the way she gets on with the others, but Efua reacts sharply. Her diary gives the reader a glimpse of the feelings her classmates are guessing at.

Efua visits Nene at home and apologises for snapping at her. She sees a warmer side of family life as Nene helps her mother in the kitchen. Nene tells Efua about her long friendship with Jimi and Ansa and encourages her to give Jimi a chance. The chapter also follows Nene’s private thoughts. She compares herself with other girls, doubts her own attractiveness and notices how much attention Jimi now pays to Efua. Her growing unease complicates the friendship she is trying to build.

Miss Agbenenovi arrives at Forcados as a National Youth Service Corps teacher. She impresses Efua by giving first aid to a junior student who collapses. At the midterm dinner, Efua eventually dances with Jide. Jimi interrupts, knocks into a waiter and spills drinks on her, making his attempt to impress her more embarrassing for both of them. Miss Novi helps Efua afterwards and tells her about her work with an organisation that supports women and children. Efua is interested in volunteering, and their friendship begins to develop.

The first term closes with inter-house sports, a Christmas carol concert and examination results. Nene helps organise the concert, and Ansa contributes his artwork to the stage decorations. Jimi takes an interest in the singing because of Efua and wins the boys’ 100-metre race for Tiger House. He excels in the examinations, and Mr Mallum commends Efua’s academic performance. Efua is also finding purpose in the volunteer work Miss Novi introduced her to. Ansa, despite contributing to the school’s celebrations, does poorly in his exams and worries about his mother’s reaction.

During the holiday, Kemi collapses at home. Risikat, the family’s house help, alerts Jimi, and Kemi is taken to hospital. There, she tells Jimi that she has ovarian cancer. She also reassures him that his father loves both him and Wole, despite the anger and disagreements Jimi has seen at home. Ansa and Nene visit with their families. The diagnosis comes just after a successful term for Jimi, and the conversation with his mother leaves him worried about what will happen to the family.

The second term begins with Jimi preoccupied by his mother’s condition. Mr Edet, the chemistry teacher, notices his distraction. Efua approaches Jimi, and the two are later caught in a street disturbance involving police and local youths. Efua spots a young boy in danger and goes to help him. Jimi helps her, and they take shelter with the boy in an ice cream shop before getting him back to someone who can look after him. The experience lets Jimi see Efua’s compassion firsthand and gives them a chance to talk more openly.

As Kemi’s illness worsens, Jimi loses interest in his usual activities. He misses football practice, struggles when he returns and gets into an argument on the pitch. Ansa, Nene and Efua remain close to him. Kemi dies at the hospital while Jimi is with her, and relatives gather for the funeral, including Femi, Jimi’s eldest brother, who comes from the United Kingdom. Efua seeks Jimi out at the cemetery and sits with him. Her quiet support deepens a friendship that began while his mother was still alive.

After the funeral, Kola travels abroad and leaves Jimi and Wole at home. Wole brings friends over, holds noisy parties and exposes Jimi to hard drugs. The change is visible at school as Jimi’s concentration and marks suffer. Nene, Efua and Ansa realise that he needs help and visit him at home, where they see the situation for themselves. Jimi agrees to stay with Ansa’s family. Efua’s concern for him brings the two closer, while Nene finds it increasingly difficult to watch their relationship develop.

With support from his friends, Jimi begins to regain his footing. At a football match, he talks with Efua, who tells him that she wants to become a doctor. Nene sees that Ansa has been painting Efua’s portrait and becomes more conscious of the attention Efua receives. Later, Nene goes to borrow Efua’s biology textbook and comes across a private letter addressed to Erdoo, Miss Novi’s first name. She reads the letter as evidence of a romantic attachment and shows it to Jimi, who reacts with hurt and jealousy.

Copies of the letter circulate at school. Efua learns that students are talking about her and that they have drawn conclusions about her relationship with Miss Novi. Mr Mallum summons both of them. Miss Novi explains that she knows Efua as a student and volunteer. The principal sends Efua home and asks to see her guardian. When Efua encounters Jimi afterwards, she discovers his involvement in how the letter got out. He responds angrily, treating his own sense of betrayal as a reason to dismiss what she is going through.

The school identifies Jolly as the student who found the letter among Jimi’s belongings, photocopied it and distributed the copies. Mr Mallum has him punished publicly. Funmi meets with the principal and later berates Efua at home. Feeling isolated, Efua withdraws, stops eating and becomes increasingly distressed. She wanders outside, collapses and is taken to hospital. By this point the school knows who circulated the letter, but the punishment of Jolly does little to relieve what Efua is facing at home.

Nene tells her mother what she did. Encouraged to make amends, she visits Efua in hospital and admits that jealousy motivated her to share the letter. Efua tells Nene that her father died when she was young and that her stepfather sexually abused her after her mother remarried. Her mother dismissed her disclosure. Efua also explains the importance of Miss Novi’s kindness to her. Messages from friends at St Catherine’s remind Efua that people still care about her, and Nene promises to support her when she returns to school.

Ansa confronts Jimi about his treatment of Efua and reminds him that she supported him through his mother’s illness and death. The disagreement strains their friendship, and Jimi goes back home. Wole turns up in trouble over his drug dealings and needs help getting away. Jimi gives him money and belongings he can sell. As his brother leaves, Jimi remembers Wole patiently teaching him to ride a bicycle. That childhood memory helps explain why Jimi still feels protective of him after so many betrayals.

Someone breaks into the chemistry laboratory and steals a new microscope and other equipment. Mr Edet had entrusted Jimi with a laboratory key, which Jimi now cannot find. Efua returns to school with Nene beside her, and Jimi tries to apologise for his part in the letter incident. The police catch Wole and other men trying to sell the stolen equipment. Wole implicates Jimi, who is questioned by the police. News travels quickly through Forcados, where students are used to hearing about Jimi’s achievements rather than seeing him under suspicion.

At Wole’s urging, Jimi falsely confesses, hoping the school will be more lenient and his brother will avoid prison. The school restricts Jimi’s participation in activities and requires him to apologise publicly after the final examinations. During the apology, Efua challenges the principal’s handling of the case. Ansa also speaks up, pointing to Wole’s responsibility. Jimi finally tells Mr Mallum the truth. He recognises that Efua defended him publicly when he had turned away from her during the letter scandal. By the time he looks for her, she has left the country.

The final chapter looks back on the July valedictory service and follows the students as their results come out in October. Jimi wins prizes in chemistry, physics and technical drawing, as well as a scholarship to study electrical engineering. Nene hopes to study accountancy, and Ansa plans to study architecture. Efua writes to Jimi from abroad. She admits that she cares about him, expresses sympathy for what he tried to do for Wole and says she needs time to work through her own experiences. This time, Efua chooses who receives her letter and what she wants him to know.