Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: A mụrụ Gration, nke a maara n'aha nke abụọ ya bụ Scott, na St. Charles, Illinois, nwa Dorothy E. (née Harpel) na John Alexander Gration. Nne na nna ya ochie bụ ndị Briten. O biri n'oge ọ bụ nwata n'ebe a na-akpọzi Democratic Republic of Congo (nke bụbu Belgian Congo, nke e mechara kpọwa Zaire) na Kenya, ebe ndị mụrụ ya rụrụ ọrụ dị ka ndị ozi ala ọzọ na-akụzi ihe. Ahịrịokwu mbụ o kwuru bụ n'asụsụ Kiswahili, ọ na-asụkwa Kiswahili ná ndụ ya nile. N'oge
Nsogbu Congo na mbido 1960s, a kpọpụrụ ezinụlọ ya ugboro atọ, ha wee bụrụ ndị gbara ọsọ ndụ, na-agagharị na Kenya mgbe mkpochapụ nke atọ na 1964.