The story begins with the Dutch handing over Elmina Castle to the British in 1872 without local consent. This leads to the British bombardment and destruction of Elmina in 1873.

Kofi becomes an assistant to Melton Prior , a real-life war artist for the Illustrated London News . Through this role, he witnesses the looting of the Asante capital, Kumasi, and the burning of the king's palace.

In educational and therapeutic settings, "spat" or spitting is the subject of designed to help children understand social norms and manage emotions. The Boy Who Spat in Sargrenti's Eye