Ghana officially laid to rest the legendary highlife musician Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba (DL), on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The final funeral rites took place at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, following months of delays caused by intense legal battles and family disputes.
The “White Knights” of highlife music saw a burial ceremony described as one of the largest state-assisted funerals for an artist in recent Ghanaian history, drawing thousands of mourners, including President John Dramani Mahama, senior government officials, and fellow music icons.
A Dramatic Journey to the Grave
The path to the funeral was marred by significant controversy following Daddy Lumba’s death on July 26, 2025, at the age of 60:
- Legal Disputes: Multiple injunctions repeatedly stalled the burial as various factions of his family and competing claimants to his estate battled in court.
- Family Tensions: Tensions reached a point where traditional leaders from the Asante Royal Palace had to intervene to mediate.
- Last-Minute Hurdle: Just 48 hours before the service, a high court injunction nearly halted the ceremony again. However, the burial proceeded after the applicants failed to meet a GH¢2 million court-ordered bond.
A Colossal Musical Legacy
Daddy Lumba’s career spanned over three decades, during which he released more than 30 albums. He is widely credited with modernizing highlife by infusing it with contemporary synthesizers and Afropop influences.
- Classic Hits: Songs like “Yɛyɛ Aka Akwantuo Mu” (1989), “Aben Wo Aha,” and “Asem Pa” cemented his status as a lyrical genius who explored themes of love, spirituality, and social struggle.
- Cultural Icon: His influence transcends music, impacting fashion, language, and the broader creative arts in Ghana and the diaspora.
Following the public service in Kumasi, his remains were conveyed to his hometown for a strictly private traditional burial, bringing a close to the dramatic and storied life of one of Africa’s most prolific entertainers.
