By Nadia Ntiamoah
The death of the highlife legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, has triggered an intense family feud over his burial, legacy, and the right to be recognized as his legitimate widow.
What should have been a solemn celebration of one of the most iconic musicians has turned into a court battle, pitting his German-based legal wife, Akosua Serwah Fosuh, against Priscilla Ofori, also known as Odo Broni, a woman who claims to have been his customary wife in Ghana.
A Love Story Turned Legal War
Barely three months after Lumba’s death on July 26, 2025, his family has become divided.
On one side stands Mrs. Fosuh, who insists she remains the only lawful spouse under both German and Ghanaian laws.
On the other, the Fosu Royal Family of Nsuta and Parkoso, backed by Odo Broni, claim that the singer’s marriage to Serwah was effectively dissolved long before his passing.
The widow’s legal team, led by William Kusi, of Dominion Chambers, filed a suit at the Kumasi High Court, seeking to7
affirm her exclusive right as the surviving spouse.
Her demands include a declaration that she is the lawful widow, the right to perform all widowhood and funeral rites, and an injunction preventing the family and Odo Broni from representing her as anything other than a “mistress.”
Legal Wife’s Standpoint
In a statement dated October 10, 2025, Akosua Serwah Fosuh, and Lumba’s elder sister, Ernestina Fosuh, accused former Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah of spreading misinformation about the musician’s marital status.
According to them, Owusu Amankwah had confused customary and ordinance marriages during a radio interview, wrongly suggesting that a man married under the customary law could simultaneously marry under another system.
The statement emphasized that Lumba was legally married under German civil law on December 23, 2004, making any subsequent traditional union null and void unless the earlier marriage was officially dissolved.
“Under German law, no person in a valid civil marriage can contract another, whether traditional or otherwise,” the widow said.
“I remain the only lawful wife of my late husband, and I have the legal right to his body and funeral arrangements.”
The Fosu Family’s Counterclaim
But the Fosu Royal Family, represented by Baba Jamal & Associates, has fiercely disputed the widow’s claim.
In a response addressed to Akosua Serwah Fosuh’s lawyers on October 1, 2025, the family accused her of desertion and emotional neglect.
According to their version, Mrs. Fosuh refused to relocate to Ghana when Lumba fell ill about 15 years ago, leaving him to the care of Odo Broni, who allegedly supported and lived with him for over a decade and a half.
“Your client, Mrs. Fosuh, deserted the late musician when he needed her most,” the letter stated.
“She even wrote to initiate divorce proceedings in 2018, which the late Lumba acknowledged.”
The family lawyer further alleged that Mrs. Fosuh had formally dissolved her marriage by presenting traditional drinks to the Fosu family—an act that, by Akan custom, signifies the end of a marital union once accepted by the husband’s family.
‘Odo Broni Was There Till The End’
In their statement, the family confirmed that Priscilla Ofori (Odo Broni) was recognized as the musician’s customary wife and the mother of six of his children, emphasizing that she was “there for him through thick and thin.”
They argued that by Akan tradition, once a person dies, the body and funeral arrangements belong to the deceased’s family, not the spouse.
Therefore, they maintained that Mrs. Fosuh cannot dictate how the burial is conducted, though her name may appear in the funeral brochure “as a courtesy” because of the children she bore with the singer.
Disputed Control Over the Body
One of the most contentious points in the legal battle concerns the custody of the musician’s remains.
Mrs. Fosuh alleges that Odo Broni and her supporters fraudulently registered their names at the morgue, effectively blocking her and her children from accessing Lumba’s body.
She argues that such actions are a breach of her marital rights and could cause “irreparable harm” if the funeral proceeds without her participation or consent.
The court is now expected to determine who has the legitimate authority over the funeral, a matter that could set a precedent in the marital and inheritance law involving citizens married abroad.
Confusion Over Family Identity
The widow’s camp has also taken issue with attempts to redefine Lumba’s family lineage.
In their press release, the Fosuh sisters accused Owusu Amankwah of introducing one Ebenezer Oppong as Lumba’s brother to the Office of the President — a claim they vehemently refuted.
“The late Charles Kwadwo Fosuh had no brothers. He was survived by only two sisters — Ernestina and Faustina Fosuh. Any claim to the contrary is false and deceptive,” the statement declared.
As of now, the Kumasi High Court has not scheduled a hearing date for the case. Both parties have, however, expressed willingness to seek a peaceful resolution, though their public statements suggest that reconciliation remains far-fetched.
The Fosu Royal Family says it holds documents left by the late musician detailing how he wanted his funeral and estate managed.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Fosuh insists only the courts can determine the lawful path forward.
For now, Daddy Lumba’s final rest remains in limbo, with his body caught in a tug-of-war between law, custom, and love — a tragic end for a man who sang so often about the pains and paradoxes of human relationships.
