Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

Set in contemporary Nigeria, A Spell of Good Things follows two young people from vastly different social backgrounds whose lives become entangled amid growing political tensions, family pressures, and personal struggles. Ẹniọlá is a sixteen-year-old boy whose family has fallen into poverty after his father loses his job as a teacher. Once accustomed to a more comfortable life, he now struggles to pay his school fees and preserve his dignity. He runs errands, works for a local tailor, and occasionally begs on the streets, all while holding on to his dreams of a better future. Wúràọlá, meanwhile, comes from a wealthy and influential family. A talented young doctor in her first year of practice, she is exhausted by the demands of her profession and trapped in an increasingly troubling relationship with Kúnlé, the son of a powerful politician. Although her privileged background offers financial security, it cannot protect her from the pressures and dangers of her personal life. When a local politician takes an interest in Ẹniọlá and violence erupts during a family celebration, the lives of the two young people become unexpectedly connected. Their stories unfold against a backdrop of political corruption, social inequality, and a society approaching a moment of crisis. Through these intersecting narratives, Adébáyọ̀ examines the relationship between wealth and power, the vulnerability of women, and the ways social class shapes people’s opportunities and choices. The novel reveals how the struggles of seemingly different individuals are connected by the structures surrounding them, offering a nuanced portrait of contemporary Nigerian society.