The Last Days at Forcados High School by A.H. Mohammed tells a fictional story of Jimi Solade, a very brilliant student of the prestigious Forcados High School – His life with his best friends, Ansa and Nene who are all in their final year in secondary school. His relationship with the mysterious new girl in class, Efua. His family troubles and determination to succeed against all odds.
The novel highlighted some adolescence challenges and teaches perseverance in the midst of adversities.

With the annual JAMB UTME in mind, we at Campus Portal Nigeria decided to provide only a brief chapter by chapter summary of The Last Days at Forcados High School. We highlighted only the important points from the chapters that will assist candidates to easily answer the exam questions. Read below.

Chapter by Chapter Summary of The Last Days at Forcados High School

Chapter 1.
Jimi had just returned from a holiday in Ibadan. His father sent him there on discovery that he had kept in touch with his rogue brother, Wole, against the father’s instructions.

Jimi woke up at home to a surprise. His brother, Wole, who had been banned from the house by their father, has returned. Jimi and his mother, Kemi, were happy to have Wole back but their highly temperamental and intolerable father, Kola, was not keen to have him back.

Chapter 2.
First day of new school year at Forcados High School, Lagos. Jimi re-unites with friends. Though worried by troubles at home, he resolves it’s going to be his best year yet.

The school’s head boy, Seyi Lawal, invited Jimi who is the health prefect to prefects’ meeting with the principal, Mr Mallum,where they met a new girl, Efua, who came with her mother to the principal’s office.

Chapter 3.
Efua Coker, a very attractive young girl, was brought to Lagos by her flamboyant and carefree mother, Funmi, to stay with her aunt, Moni, from where she could attend Forcados high school and complete her final year in secondary school. Aunty Moni introduced Efua to the devout Nene who in turn introduced her to Ansa and Jimi but Efua was repulsive to the boys. She also had a tough first day in school, dealing with the not-so-welcoming teachers and nostalgia of her former school, St Catherine’s, Abuja.

Efua’s mum influenced her admission into SS3 at Forcados High where students are not usually admitted in senior class. The teachers frowned at this because they felt new students would lower the school’s usually excellent result.

Chapter 4.
Kola Solade had travelled after a bout of argument with his wife over Wole when Jimi courageously jumped to his mother’s defence which further infuriated his father, Kola.

Jimi, looking for an opportunity to spend time with his brother, Wole, followed him to a strange location where alcohol, Indian hemp and prostitutes were a common sight. Jimi got upset when he ran home, after policemen stormed the joint, and discovered that Wole hid illegal drugs in his Jeans pocket.

Chapter 5.
Efua rebuffed Jimi’s advances and a rather silly approach from Jolly, a pompous arts student, who in turn threatened to deal with her. Everybody in school disliked Efua for her unfriendliness. They went ahead to nickname her “The Witch”. Nene tried to talk to Efua about the seeming unfriendliness to everybody but she snapped at her.

Chapter 6.
Efua visits Nene to apologies for snapping on her earlier in the day at school. She meets Nene helping her mother out with house chores as usual. Nene once again encouraged Efua to be friends with Jimi. She would later have a re-think about her suggestion to Efua considering that Jimi’s attention to her had reduced since Efua arrived.

Chapter 7.
A young Youth Corper, Agbenenovi (Miss Novi) was introduced to the school by the Vice principal.
The students had their Mid Term dinner. Jimi, Ansa, and Nene played active roles in the event’s planning. Jimi so much wanted to dance with Efua and in his desperation infuriated  Efua the more when he bullied away little Jide who was already dancing with her and also accidentally spilled drinks on her.

Earlier, the new corper, Ms Novi, saved a fainted junior student by administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him. Ms Novi and Efua would later become friends.
Meanwhile, Efua’s rivalry with Jimi’s current and jealous girlfriend, Caro, was on the rise.

Chapter 8.
Towards the end of the term, there was Inter-House sports competition among the four houses in the school; Tiger, Lion, Cheetah, and Leopard.
There was Carol Night organized by Nene which Jimi took interest in on noticing Efua’s name on the Carol list.
Jimi won the 100 metres race for his house (Tiger), won the best athlete’s trophy, and a prize for the best exam result.
Efua was involved in several interesting community programmes introduced to her by Ms Novi. The principal openely commended her on her excellent results.

At the end of the term, the friends were all happy except Ansa who failed his first term exams and dreaded his mother’s rebuke who would most likely blame his failure on his paintings.

Chapter 9.
Jimi’ mother had fallen ill during the first term holidays. She opened up to Jimi that she had been diagnosed of ovarian cancer. She reassured him that she will get better and that their father truly loves his boys. Ansa and Nene together with their parents visited the hospital.
Jimi is worried that his wonderful life has turned around all too sudden.

Chapter 10.
The second term had started and Jimi is downcast as a result of his mother’s illness. His condition brought Efua, who has general tenderness for helpless beings, closer to him. That lightened Jimi’s mood and made him happy once again.

Chapter 11.
Jimi’s poor state of mind affected his performance in the football team.
His friends Ansa, Nene, and Efua had been supportive. Sometimes, they all accompany Jimi to visit his mother in the hospital.

Alas! Jimi’s mum gave up the ghost on a saturday morning after a heavy rain the night before. It was a terrible experience for Jimi who wished it could all be a lie.
The incident brought the whole Solade family and relatives together, and Efua much closer to Jimi.

Chapter 12.
Mr Solade embarked upon a 5-month-long journey out of the country leaving his sons behind. As soon as he left, Wole turned their apartment to a house of commotion, always hosting parties, and forcing Jimi into illicit drugs.
The situation at home affected Jimi’s concentration and performance in school. His friends decided to confront him. They all agreed that he should now stay with Ansa’s family.
Meanwhile, Nene was becoming increasingly jealous/concerned about Efua’s sudden relationship with Jimi.

Chapter 13.
Jimi is gradually getting over his mother’s death, thanks to his encouraging friends.

Nene had stumbled upon a somewhat “romantic” letter written by Efua and addressed to Ms Novi. She misinterpreted Efua’s relationship with Ms Novi and confided in Jimi.
The letter reads;
Dear Erdoo,
      When you told me you were leaving, I cannot describe the utter blackness that enveloped me. I will not shy away from it any longer. I love you and I don’t care what people may say or think. My Erdoo, my Miss Novi, mine. Whenever we talk and hug each other I believe I’m in heaven. You are the most fascinating woman in the world.

Chapter 14.
Efua’s letter was leaked in school and she became a laughingstock. She and Ms Novi were summoned by the principal.
Following Ms Novi’s denials, the principal cautioned her, stating that she is familiar to her students more than is expected of a teacher. The principal then sent Efua home for the day and demanded to see her mother or guardian.
Before Efua left, she discovered the letter was made public through Jimi, though unintentional. Jimi made it clear to her that he had little or no regrets for the leaked letter. This is because he was angry and felt she had made a complete fool of him.

Chapter 15.
It was Jolly who photocopied and leaked Efua’s letter when he stumbled upon it, while illegally searching for assignment to copy, in Jimi’s locker. He was flogged publicly by the principal.
Efua’s mother meets with the principal and once again influenced his decision to not suspend Efua. At home, Efua’s mother severely scolded her, calling her a slut.

Efua was all alone, starving, having nightmares, and eventually fell ill. She ended up in the hospital after she passed out on the street while being attended to by a mad woman who called her “my daughter”.

Chapter 16.
Nene felt guilty of all that happened to Efua. Encouraged by her mother, she went to see Efua in the hospital where she apologized and confessed that it was out of jealousy that she told Jimi about the letter.
Efua also opened up to Nene. She told Nene her father died when she was 12 and her mother married her now step-father who sexually abused her. She sadly added that nobody believed her story, not even her mother. Nene promised to help her reintegrated in school.

Efua had also received get-well messages from her friends at her former school, St Catherine’s, and her former principal, Mrs Obange.

Chapter 17.
Jimi was swallowed in his thoughts. Nene was no longer talking to him. His most loyal friend, Ansa, had also disagreed with him on the way he treated Efua.

Wole told Jimi he had got into trouble selling drugs and his life was on the line. He had to run out of town with assistance from Jimi.

Chapter 18.
More troubles for Jimi as the Chemistry Lab he had a spare key to got burgled. It was later revealed that Wole Solade and some other boys were caught while trying to sell a stolen microscope and other Lab equipments. Wole had named Jimi an accomplice in the crime. Before long, the  news spread round the school that Jimi, the school hero, was being questioned at the Police station over the Lab theft.
Earlier in the day, Jimi had apologized to Nene for his role in the leaked letter and also tried to make up with Efua.

Chapter 19.
Following Wole’s suggestion, Jimi lied that he assisted his brother with the robbery with hopes that his confession will persuade the principal to desist from pressing further charges thereby saving his brother from going to prison.
Jimi was punished in school. He wasn’t allowed to participate in any social activity, even after their WAEC exams.
The day he was made to publicly apologize to the whole school, Efua and Ansa stood up for him and made the principal and other students to know the truth. The principal eventually dropped all charges against Wole because he was sorry for him.
Jimi felt guilty Efua stood up for him in his time of trouble but he didn’t in hers, now she had left the country unannounced.

Chapter 20.
Most of the Final year students performed well when their results came out in October.
Nene was hoping to study accountancy, Ansa had planned to study architecture while Jimi had won a scholarship to study electrical engineering.
During a Valedictory service that held in July, Jimi won prizes in chemistry, physics and technical drawing. He also got a letter from Efua shortly after she left the country. In the letter, Efua confessed that she liked Jimi back but hinted that she had to sort out things inside herself first. She concluded by telling Jimi that what he did for his brother, Wole, was a sweet thing. This made Jimi very happy. It was a happy ending for all the friends.

Character Summary

• Jimi(Akinjimi) Solade – The main character (hero) in the novel. He can best be described as an all-rounder – Academically sound, good at sport, good-looking, and attractive to the girls.
• Wole Solade – Jimi’s closest brother who had turned rogue, expelled from 2 different schools, kicked out of the university and severally drew the irk of his father, Kola, who referred to him as good-for-nothing.
• Mr Kola Solade – Jimi’s Father. A tall and well built man with a bulging tummy who believes Wole is a bad influence to Jimi.
• Mrs Kemi Solade – Jimi’s loving mother. A kind-hearted woman who had been stressed by her children and her highly temperamental husband, Kola.
• Femi Kolade – Jimi’s oldest brother who lives in the United Kingdom. Just like his father, he doesn’t want anything to do with his other brother, Wole.
• Ansa Izaegbebe – Jimi’s friend and next door neighbour. A nerdy art genius who sees Jimi as his hero for being good at so many things.
• Nene Ekpo – Jimi and Ansa’s oldest friend. A devout christian with great music voice.
• Efua Coker – The new beautiful and mysterious girl in class who had become cynosure of attraction for the boys, Jimi inclusive.
• Funmi Coker – Efua’s mother. A wealthy business woman who rarely showed love to her daughter.
• Mrs Moni Alli – Funmi Coker’s cousin and Efua’s aunt whom she stayed with at Balogun street from where she attended school at Forcados High.
• Caro – The disdainful Jimi’s girlfriend before Efua came to Forcados High. She was also the most popular girl in school.
• Jolly Stephens – One of the novel’s antagonists. He was an arts student and a stubborn big boy in the school.
• Miss Agbenenovi – Youth corper serving in Lagos state. She taught English at Forcados High school with Mr Salami.
• Mr Mallum – Principal at Forcados High school. He never addressed his students by their first name except Jimi, the day Efua made him realize he hadn’t cared enough about his students.
• Mrs Tanimoro – The school’s guidance councillor who Efua regularly met on the instructions of the principal when she first arrived Forcados High school. Mrs Tanimoro was also in the principal’s office with her mouth twisted in self-righteous horror when Efua was being questioned over her suspicious letter to Miss Novi.
• Mr Vann – Physics teacher at Forcados High School. He was fund of Jimi Solade.
• Mr Salami – English teacher at Forcados High School.
• Mr Edet – Chemistry teacher at Forcados High School.
• Mr Bade – A teacher at Forcados High School who the students nicknamed cane.
• Okoro – The students called him gorilla-like Okoro, a miserable bully.
• Seyi Lawal – The head boy at Forcados High School.
• Ada – The head girl at Forcados High School. She sourced for the letter Efua allegedly wrote to Ms Novi and brought it to Mr Mallum, the principal.
• Eze – A bright student in an unspoken contest with Jimi over chemistry result.
• Joke – Efua’s new friend at Forcados High school who was always interested in gossips. She was the first person to inform Efua about her leaked letter in school.
• Jide – The smallest boy in class. He danced with Efua during the Mid-term Dinner.
• Icheen Igbo – 100 metres race closest competitor to Jimi. He took the second position during the Inter-house sports competition.
• Bayo – Another of Jimi’s friends at school who is a football enthusiast.
• Rhymers – A group of five boys who composed hip-hop lyrics after school.
• Mrs Obange – Efua’s principal at her former school, St Catherine’s, Abuja.
• Samu – Jimi’s family friend whose Ice cream bar provided cover for Jimi and Efua during the Area boys – Police Fracas.
• Dupe – One of Jimi’s ex-girlfriends as was jokingly revealed by Samu.
• Uncle Kazeem – Jimi’s closest uncle whom the family usually called in times of trouble. He was the one who bailed Wole when he was arrested for theft at Forcados High.
• Uncle Shola – Jimi’s other uncle who was rarely called upon.
• Risikat – Mrs Solade housemaid. She was the person who informed Jimi that his mother had fainted.
• Mama Silifat – Mama Silifat sold puff-puff and akara outside the school premises. She is fond of Jimi whom she addressed by his full name Akinjimi or omo mi (my child).

– Note: This is only a short summary of The Last Days at Forcados High School. For an in-depth understanding of the story, you are advised to read the novel.

On a side note, thumbs up to the author of the novel. It will surely make an interesting read for anybody.
I personally wish the book would be adopted to a movie for every young person to see. It will surely be very entertaining and educative.
We at CampusPortalNG also recommend the book “Catch-Up: English Language by Peter Okebukola et al” for any candidate preparing for JAMB UTME and indeed any O’Level English exam.

By - Campus Portal Nigeria