Thousands of mourners, music lovers and dignitaries have converged on the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi as final funeral rites for Ghana’s highlife legend Daddy Lumba get under way today, 13 December.
The ceremony marks the last farewell to the musician, born Charles Kwadwo Fosu, who died on 26 July 2025 at the age of 60 after a short illness.
Today’s burial follows months of legal wrangling and family disagreements that had threatened to overshadow the funeral.
Preparations were at one point halted by a High Court injunction, with interlocutory orders and disputes over burial authority dominating national headlines. The ceremony proceeded after the Accra High Court cleared the way, bringing relief to fans and family alike.
By dawn, the sprawling stadium had been transformed into a tribute ground. Colourful stalls lined the entrance routes, where vendors sold commemorative T-shirts bearing Daddy Lumba’s image, caps and printed programmes celebrating his decades-long contribution to Ghanaian music and culture.
The familiar rhythms of highlife filled the air, with many of Daddy Lumba’s classics played as mourners softly sang along. Clutching songbooks, they blended grief with celebration, creating a reflective but uplifting atmosphere.
Elderly fans were seen wiping away tears as younger supporters swayed to the music, forming a generational chorus that underscored the musician’s enduring reach. Many attendees wore traditional funeral cloth in muted colours, while others donned accessories emblazoned with the late artiste’s iconic image.
A solemn moment followed as a carriage rolled into the stadium bearing the casket containing the body of the late music legend. Daddy Lumba’s widow, Priscilla Ofori-Atta, popularly known as Odo Broni, was seen in tears as she arrived with other family members.
The funeral has drawn high-profile figures from politics, traditional leadership, business and the music industry. Among those present are NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Ashanti Regional Minister Frank Amoakohene and Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu. Businessmen Osei Kwame Despite and Ernest Ofori Sarpong also paid their respects.
An emotional highlight of the ceremony came when highlife star Nana Acheampong performed the first song he composed with Daddy Lumba, visibly struggling to hold back tears as he honoured his long-time collaborator.
Inside the stadium stands, families and friends shared stories of the musician’s influence, recalling how his songs became soundtracks to heartbreaks, celebrations and everyday life.
Daddy Lumba, born Charles Kwadwo Fosu, was one of Ghana’s most influential and successful highlife musicians, with a career spanning more than three decades.
He died on 26 July 2025 at the Bank Hospital in Accra after a short illness. He was 60.
