By Grace Zigah
Fresh tensions have erupted within the family of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, born Charles Kwadwo Fosu, as a faction of his relatives calls for the direct intervention of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, over allegations surrounding what they describe as a “secret burial” and alleged violations of royal and customary tradition.
The renewed dispute comes barely two months after the musician was officially interred in Nsuta, his hometown in the Ashanti Region, following a high-profile funeral ceremony held in Kumasi in December 2025.
At the time, the burial and funeral were presented as the lawful conclusion of months of legal and family battles that had delayed final rites after his death on July 26, 2025.
However, in February 2026, a section of the family resurfaced with fresh claims, accusing the recognized family leadership of conducting the burial in secrecy and deliberately concealing the exact location of Daddy Lumba’s final resting place.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved group, Emmanuel Degraft Adjei accused the family head, Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, and Daddy Lumba’s second wife, Odo Broni, of orchestrating a burial process that excluded key family members and traditional stakeholders.
According to the group, the alleged secrecy surrounding the burial site and the manner in which rites were performed amount to a betrayal of Asante tradition and an insult to what they describe as Daddy Lumba’s “royal lineage,” a claim they say elevates the matter beyond a private family dispute into one of customary and traditional concern.
This has prompted the faction to formally demand the intervention of the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Asantehene, insisting that only traditional arbitration can resolve what they now frame as a cultural and royal crisis rather than a mere domestic disagreement.
Otumfuo’s Earlier Withdrawal
This appeal marks a shift from earlier developments in December 2025, when Otumfuo Osei Tutu publicly distanced himself from the funeral dispute, directing that the matter be handled by the Nsuta Traditional Council, the customary authority over Daddy Lumba’s hometown affairs.
At the time, the palace maintained that the dispute was primarily a family and local traditional matter, not one requiring direct royal intervention from the Asantehene’s palace.
The renewed demand for Otumfuo’s involvement now signals growing dissatisfaction with both the family leadership structure and previous traditional arbitration processes.
Legal Battles Far From Over
Beyond traditional channels, the aggrieved family members are also reportedly preparing for a renewed legal showdown, including appeals against earlier court rulings that allowed the burial and funeral to proceed in December 2025.
Sources close to the group indicate that they are seeking further judicial review of decisions that legitimised the burial process, arguing that material facts about family consent, transparency, and procedure were not fully examined by the courts at the time.
Celebration of Life Event
The dispute has been further inflamed by the announcement of a “Celebration of Life” programme scheduled for March 28 and 29, 2026, in Accra, being led by Daddy Lumba’s first wife, Akosua Serwaa.
While organisers describe the event as a commemorative tribute, sections of the family view it as an attempt to reopen unresolved disputes surrounding authority, legacy control, and recognition within the Lumba family structure.
Demands for Transparency
In addition to traditional and legal claims, the aggrieved faction is also demanding: A full and transparent account of the burial process, Disclosure of the exact burial location, A clearer public explanation surrounding the circumstances of Daddy Lumba’s death, broader family involvement in decisions concerning his legacy and memorialisation.
They argue that the late musician’s status as a national cultural figure means his burial and memorial processes should not be shrouded in secrecy or controlled by a narrow group of individuals.
A Legacy Now Entangled In Conflict
Daddy Lumba’s death triggered one of the most emotionally charged national mourning periods in the modern music history. Revered across generations, his influence in highlife and contemporary Ghanaian music made him not only a family figure but a national cultural symbol.
Yet, months after his burial, his legacy remains deeply entangled in family division, legal battles, traditional authority disputes, and competing claims of legitimacy—turning what should have been a period of remembrance into an ongoing struggle over power, culture, and control.
