Ghana today observes a solemn moment as the final funeral rites of Highlife legend Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, are held at Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. Thousands of mourners from across the country have gathered to pay their last respects to the celebrated musician, whose influence on Ghanaian music spans decades.
The funeral follows a prolonged process marked by family disagreements and legal battles that threatened to delay the burial. However, a decisive ruling from the Accra High Court on Friday, December 12, cleared the way for the funeral to proceed as scheduled.
The late musician’s maternal family had petitioned the court for an injunction to prevent Kofi Owusu, the family head (Abusuapanyin), from planning the funeral. This injunction initially prevented Transitions Funeral Home from releasing Daddy Lumba’s body and halted funeral preparations amid disputes over leadership and fund management.
In line with Akan customs, the court had emphasised the need to consult the immediate family and ordered a stakeholder meeting within three weeks to decide on a new burial date. But there was a caveat—a GH₵2 million payment condition by 2pm by the maternal family—failure of which the funeral can proceed. The High Court appeared to have balanced due process with the urgency of proceeding with the burial, ensuring any costs related to delays are covered.
Daddy Lumba, who passed away on July 26, 2025, at age 60, remains a towering figure in Ghana’s music scene, with public attention focused on his legacy and the family’s ongoing dispute over his final rites.
