Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey was born on August 9, 1932, in Saltpond, Gold Coast (now Ghana), to Joseph Kofi Allotey, a storekeeper and a royal of Sempe, and Alice Esi Nyena Allotey, a dressmaker. From a young age, Allotey showed a remarkable aptitude for mathematics and science. He was an avid reader, teaching himself mathematics using books available in his father's shop.

Raised as a Catholic, he began his primary education at St. John the Baptist Catholic Boys School in Saltpond at the age of nine. At sixteen, he joined the Ghana National College, founded by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in July 1948 for students who supported Nkrumah's Positive Action Movement.

Determined to study abroad, Allotey traveled to Liberia to obtain a British passport, eventually studying in the UK at the London Borough Polytechnic and Imperial College. Finding the undergraduate curriculum too elementary, he opted for a straight Master’s degree at Imperial College, later pursuing his Ph.D. in Mathematics at Princeton University in 1966. At Princeton, he was mentored by renowned physicists such as Robert Dicke and Robert Oppenheimer.

Allotey made significant contributions to mathematics and theoretical physics, particularly through his pioneering work in soft X-ray spectroscopy, leading to the development of the "Allotey Formalism." This technique, recognized globally, earned him the prestigious UK Prince Philip Gold Medal Award in 1973. His findings have applications in fiber optics and laser technology.

In Ghana, he became the first full Professor of Mathematics and head of the Mathematics Department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He introduced computer science education in Ghana and was the founding director of the KNUST Computer Centre. His efforts were instrumental in advancing scientific research and education in the country.

Beyond academia, Allotey was the founding Director of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre and played a key role in establishing the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission. He facilitated the construction of the Weija Dam and the establishment of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine centers at Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.

He was involved in international scientific organizations, including the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and the African Academy of Sciences. He collaborated with these institutions to promote physics education and technological advancements in developing countries.

Throughout his career, Allotey received numerous accolades. He was a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences, and the Third World Academy of Sciences. The Government of Ghana awarded him the Millennium Excellence Award in 2005 and the Order of the Volta in 2009. He was posthumously honored with the Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah African Genius Award in 2017.

His contributions to science and technology are commemorated through various initiatives, including the annual Francis Allotey Public Lecture and the establishment of the Professor Francis Allotey Graduate School at the Accra Institute of Technology in 2009.

Allotey married Edoris Enid Chandler from Barbados, whom he met while studying in London. They had two children, Francis Kojo Enu Allotey and Joseph Kobina Nyansa Allotey. After Edoris's death in 1981, he remarried Ruby Asie Mirekuwa Akuamoah, with whom he raised her two children, Cilinnie and Kay. Ruby passed away in 2011. He had four children and 20 grandchildren.

Known for his generosity, Allotey personally funded the education of several needy but bright students. He was an avid supporter of the extended family system and ensured his relatives received proper education. He enjoyed nature, music, and soccer, particularly the Ghana Black Stars.

Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey passed away from natural causes on November 2, 2017. The Ghanaian government accorded him a state funeral in recognition of his immense contributions to science and technology. He was interred in his hometown, Saltpond, Central Region. His legacy continues to inspire and shape the scientific community in Ghana and beyond.

REFERENCE:

1. [Francis Allotey, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Allotey)

2. [Eulogy for Prof. Francis Kofi Ampenyn Allotey, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences](https://gaas-gh.org/2018/03/02/eulogy-for-prof-francis-kofi-ampenyin-allotey/)

3. [In Memoriam: Francis Allotey, International Centre for Theoretical Physics](https://www.ictp.it/about-ictp/media-centre/news/2017/11/allotey-memori...)

4. [State Funeral held for Prof. Allotey, Citi FM Online](https://citifmonline.com/2018/02/state-funeral-held-for-prof-allotey-photos/)

5. [Prof. Francis Allotey - A Man of Many ‘Firsts,’ Ghana Young Academy](https://www.ghanayoungacademy.org/prof-francis-allotey-a-man-of-many-firsts/)

6. [Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey, Nuclear Princeton](https://nuclearprinceton.princeton.edu/people/francis-kofi-ampenyin-allotey-1932-2017)