The Healers by Ayi Kwei Armah tells the story of a certain region in Ghana, the author's homeland, when it was being colonized by Great Britain. The protagonist, Densu, is a 20-year-old who is popular among his community. Although he refuses the job of king, he supports the new king, Appia, wholeheartedly. Densu's real passion is for the magical arts of healing, however, so he feels unfit to make the challenging decisions required of a king. Instead he is accused of murdering Appia and retreats to the old healer, Damfo's, cabin to learn from him as an apprentice. After sometime he returns to the community to denounce the one who murdered Appia -- Ababio.
The primary conflict of this novel is man vs. man. Ababio represents the old ways of thinking. Raised by his racist mother, he has adopted her hatred for white people. Ababio is determined to stir up violence between the two races in order to ensure that a black man holds the power in the end. Unfortunately for his own cause, Ababio does not even extend loyalty to his fellow black man, Densu, because he accuses the young man of the murder of Abbia, the king, because Densu turned down the position when Ababio offered to make him king.
For his part, Densu identifies as a healer. He devotes his life to harmony and health, which is his primary reason for avoiding positions of high leadership. He feels like his values are incompatible with the harsh judgement of a king, so he refuses the position. When he is accused of murder, Densu knows Ababio is guilty, but he preserves peace by leaving town. He throws himself into the study of the healing arts, determined to help his people. Upon his return, he actually does become a leader consistent with his values by teaching his people a new path forward which forgives the wrongdoings of the past for the sake of health and harmony in the present.
