BY Nadia Ntiamoah
The absence of Akosua Serwaa, the first wife of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, at his burial on December 13, 2025, has continued to spark public debate and speculation. Now, Evangelist Nana Yaw Akosah, popularly known as Papa Sheee, has broken his silence, offering details on why one of the most important figures in the musician’s life was missing on such a significant day.
Daddy Lumba, born Charles Kwadwo Fosu, passed away on July 26, 2025, at the Bank Hospital in Cantonments, Accra after a brief illness.
His death triggered an outpouring of grief nationwide, but it also exposed long-standing family disagreements over who should control his burial and final funeral rites.
Speaking on Adom TV’s morning show on December 15, 2025, Papa Sheee explained that Akosua Serwaa was out of the country, specifically in Germany, when the burial took place.
According to him, her absence was not deliberate or disrespectful but was rooted in poor communication and unresolved legal tensions between her and some members of the musician’s family.
Papa Sheee stated that Akosua Serwaa was never formally informed nor officially invited to the burial ceremony.
He said she only heard about the funeral date through informal channels, at a time when court cases relating to the funeral arrangements were still fresh.
“Maame Akosua Serwaa was not officially notified of the funeral date. She only got to hear about it through rumours,” Papa Sheee revealed on the programme.
He explained that, faced with uncertainty and tension, Akosua Serwaa chose to stay away and leave the matter in the hands of God, rather than risk deepening the conflict surrounding her late husband’s burial.
Beyond the issue of Akosua Serwaa’s absence, Papa Sheee also raised concerns about the broader handling of the funeral.
He alleged that some key traditional leaders in the Ashanti Region were not properly invited, including the Nsutahene, Parkosohene, and even the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
According to him, this further reflected the breakdown in consultation and communication within the family.
Papa Sheee also disclosed that several relatives of Daddy Lumba living abroad had appealed for the burial to be postponed to allow them time to return to Ghana.
Their request, he said, was ignored, forcing many close family members to miss the final rites.
Explaining his own absence, Papa Sheee said he deliberately stayed away from the burial out of respect for elders who had withdrawn from the planning process. Instead, he spent the day in prayer and reflection.
Despite the controversies, the burial ceremony attracted a large crowd and high-profile personalities from politics, business and entertainment. Present at the funeral were Osei Kwame Despite, Ernest Ofori Sarpong, Kennedy Agyapong (Kenpong), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Dr Frank Amoakohene, and veteran musician Nana Acheampong.
Members of Daddy Lumba’s immediate family who attended included his children, his younger sister Faustina Fosu, the Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, and his second wife Odo Broni.
However, Akosua Serwaa, Daddy Lumba’s elder sister Ernestina Fosu, Papa Sheee himself and other relatives involved in legal disputes with the Abusuapanin over funeral arrangements were notably absent.
