The family of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba has dismissed as false claims circulating on social media that a court injunction has halted the planned Celebration of Life event in Accra.
In a press release dated February 15, Ernestina Fosuh, elder sister of the late musician whose full name was Charles Kwadwo Fosu, stated unequivocally that no such legal order exists and that the event will proceed as announced. The denial comes after reports emerged on February 13 that Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, head of the Lumba family, had sought leave from the Accra High Court to file an injunction against the upcoming ceremony.
Fosuh confirmed that the Celebration of Life will take place on March 28 and 29, 2026, in Accra, open to the general public wishing to honour the late musician’s legacy. She also announced that Nana Yaw Akosah, popularly known as Papa Shee, has been granted full power of attorney to represent the family in Ghana on all matters relating to the event. Fosuh explained that the authorisation was necessary because most immediate family members reside in Germany and other countries outside Ghana.
The family also appealed to the public to refrain from insults, harsh language and abusive online commentary directed at anyone connected to the event.
Daddy Lumba died on July 26, 2025, at the Bank Hospital in Accra after a brief illness, aged 60. His death triggered a nationwide outpouring of grief, with tributes arriving from across Ghana and the Ghanaian diaspora in Europe and North America. A candlelight vigil held at Independence Square in Accra on August 2, 2025, drew thousands of mourners and was observed simultaneously in Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States.
His first funeral service took place at Heroes Park near Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on December 13, 2025, following months of legal disputes between family factions over burial arrangements. An injunction secured by members of his maternal family briefly halted those proceedings before the matter was resolved through mediation and traditional authority intervention.
The December ceremony was itself attended by thousands of mourners who queued from the early hours of the morning to pay their respects. His first wife, Akosua Serwaa, was absent from the Kumasi funeral following a protracted legal dispute with his second wife, Priscilla Ofori Atta, over recognition and inheritance rights. A Kumasi High Court subsequently ruled that both women be recognised as wives of the late musician.
Papa Shee, who now serves as official family spokesperson in Ghana, first announced the Accra event on January 26, 2026. He described the ceremony as a celebration of life rather than a funeral, and confirmed that Akosua Serwaa and other family members who were absent from the Kumasi service would attend the Accra event.
Daddy Lumba’s musical career spanned nearly four decades, encompassing more than 33 albums and enduring hits including Theresa, Aben Wo Ha, Ohia Asem, Playboy and Awoso. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Ghanaian highlife music.
