Ayi Kwei Armah was born in the port city of Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana to Fante -speaking parents, descending on his father's side from a royal family in the Ga nation. [2] From to , Armah attended Prince of Wales College (now known as Achimota School), and won a scholarship to study in the United States, where he was between and [3] He attended Groton School in Groton, MA.