Ghana’s music industry has lost one of its brightest stars. Charles Kwadwo Fosu, affectionately known as Daddy Lumba, passed away at dawn on Saturday at Bank Hospital in Accra after a short illness. He was 60.
With over 30 albums to his name and a legacy that reshaped highlife music, Daddy Lumba’s influence is eternal. His death has been confirmed by family through their legal counsel, expressing “profound sorrow and deep grief” at the passing of a national treasure.
Born in Nsuta, Ashanti Region, Lumba’s musical journey began in the classrooms of Juaben Senior High School and bloomed in Germany alongside Nana Acheampong. From those humble beginnings, he carved a colossal path with solo albums like Obi Ate Meso Bo and chart-shattering hits such as Theresa and Aben Wo Ha.
A cultural architect and emotional storyteller, Daddy Lumba’s songs explored love, spirituality, resilience, and social life in Ghana. Whether it was the deeply personal Theresa—inspired by the woman who helped send him to Germany—or the bold provocations of Aben Wo Ha, his music held a mirror to the Ghanaian soul.
He won multiple Ghana Music Awards and even made global waves—his hit Mpempem Do Me appeared on King Charles III’s Commonwealth Day Playlist in 2025.
More than a musician, he was an empire builder—founding Lumba Productions, mentoring icons like Ofori Amponsah, and launching DLFM 106.9 to broadcast highlife across generations.
As tributes pour in from fans, musicians, and public figures, one thing is clear: Daddy Lumba’s voice may be gone from the stage, but it will never fade from Ghana’s heart.
Rest in melody, Charles Kwadwo Fosu. You gave us the soundtrack of our lives.
Source: Jimmy Aglah
