The iconic Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, became the stage for Ghana’s most dramatic farewell. Thousands of mourners converged on the venue, transforming the atmosphere with the bittersweet sound of highlife—a melody of national grief and determined celebration. This was not just a funeral for Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, who passed away on July 26, 2025; it was the public closure of a long, painful legal and cultural conflict. Ghana finally laid its music king to rest, but not without a final twist of drama.
Court’s last word: Custom and conflict
The solemn ceremony marked a public triumph over months of legal turmoil, which saw the final rites repeatedly postponed, from an initial December 6 date to the eventual December 13, 2025.
The funeral was secured only after a High Court placed a last-minute condition on feuding family factions. At the heart of the dispute was a deep schism: the German-registered statutory marriage of Akosua Serwah Fosuh clashed with the customary recognition of Priscilla Ofori, popularly known as “Odo Broni.” A Kumasi High Court ruling in November ultimately affirmed the legal standing of both women, with Akosua Serwaa failing to establish exclusive surviving spouse status.
The court injunction, sought by Lumba’s maternal relatives and sister, alleged their exclusion from funeral planning and challenged the Abusuapanyin’s sole authority over the burial. Crucially, the suit also sought to compel an independent postmortem to determine the cause of death, after the family organising the funeral had earlier described it as a “short illness.” This legal demand, citing conflicting accounts, posed a direct challenge to traditional Akan authority structures.
In the final hours, the injunction was initially granted by an Accra High Court. However, the court allowed the funeral to proceed after the applicants failed to pay a GH₵2 million bond by the stipulated deadline. This effectively cleared the way. A lawyer for the family head described the ruling as a “significant relief,” marking a critical moment in the interplay between Ghana’s legal pluralism and customary practice.
Odo Broni’s tribute: Love against malice
The lying-in-state ceremony was held at Heroes Park in Kumasi, where thousands queued to file past the highlife legend’s casket. The sight of Odo Broni weeping nearby offered a deeply human moment. Having lived with Daddy Lumba for over 15 years, her quiet grief underscored the emotional toll of the prolonged dispute over her status.
During the final rites, Priscilla Ofori delivered a powerful tribute, affirming that no malice could erase the memory of their shared love. Her words directly addressed the legal and public controversy surrounding her position, insisting that their bond remained a testament beyond reproach.
“I will not bow to their malice; I will not let their venom stain the memory of what we were,” Odo Broni said. “That truth is eternal, and it will outlive every lie.”
Her declaration highlighted the personal cost of the family conflict. Notably absent were members of the maternal family faction, including the main applicant, elder sister Ernestina Akosua Brimpomaa Fosuh, and the first wife, Akosua Serwaa—an absence widely interpreted as a final, visible reminder of the unresolved tensions over funeral authority.
Tears, tributes and high-profile attendance
Among the most poignant moments was the appearance of Daddy Lumba’s three children with Akosua Serwaa. They publicly distanced themselves from the lawsuit filed by their maternal relatives and arrived, led by their eldest brother, Calvin Fosuh, to pay their final respects.
The emotional weight of the occasion was palpable. “They made him a case study for our laws,” remarked one elderly fan. President John Dramani Mahama had earlier captured the national mood in a condolence message, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, formalised its support with a donation of GH₵50,000.
Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu, head of the recognised family faction, was prominently present, as was the Ashanti Regional Minister, Frank Amoakohene—signalling official recognition of the funeral’s national significance.
Inside the packed stadium, Daddy Lumba’s music emerged as the most powerful unifying force. When his long-time collaborator, Nana Acheampong, took to the stage, decades of friendship and shared artistry poured into an emotional performance that moved the crowd.
The political dimension of the loss was underscored by former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who had earlier described Daddy Lumba as a “pillar of Ghana’s highlife genre.” The presence of renowned businessmen Osei Kwame Despite and Akwasi Sarpong further reflected the cultural, social and commercial stature of the late musician.
A legacy beyond the grave
In time, the controversies will fade. What endures is a monumental legacy of more than 30 albums and an indelible imprint on Ghanaian music. Daddy Lumba’s funeral was a complex final act for a man whose life was as dramatic and layered as his songs. Following the public ceremony, Charles Kwadwo Fosuh was laid to rest at a private, undisclosed location.
As mourners, clad in muted traditional cloth, swayed to his timeless melodies, one truth became clear: the music has the final word. Ghana has said goodbye, but the voice of Daddy Lumba continues to echo across the nation—an undying rhythm in the Ghanaian heart.
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