The Kumasi High Court has become the centre of a high-profile and emotionally charged family dispute over who is the rightful surviving spouse of the late Ghanaian music legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba.

The legal battle, presided over by Justice Dr. Dorinda Smith Arthur, is between Akosua Serwaah Fosuh, a Germany-based woman who claims to be the singer’s lawful wife, and Priscilla Ofori, widely known as “Odo Broni,” who lived with the musician in Ghana for over 15 years and had six children with him.

At the heart of the case is not just marital recognition but also the right to perform widowhood rites, a sacred and culturally significant responsibility in Ashanti custom.

Daddy Lumba passed away on July 26, 2025.

Plaintiff’s Argument: “I Am the Only Legal Wife”

Akosua Serwaah Fosuh, represented by lawyer Georgina Osei Bonsu, told the court that she married Daddy Lumba traditionally in Bomso, Kumasi in May 1991, and later entered into a civil marriage in Bornheim, Germany, on December 23, 2004.

The union produced three children.

She insisted that the marriage was never dissolved, despite challenges and distance.

She testified that she visited her husband in Ghana several times between 2011 and 2018 and provided him with financial support, including funds for medical treatment.

To support her claim, she presented a notarised German marriage certificate, official letters, funeral posters, videos, and photographs as evidence.

Her sister-in-law, Ernestina Fosuh, also testified, confirming that she witnessed both the customary and civil marriages. According to her, the late singer had admitted that he could not legally marry Priscilla due to his existing marriage with Akosua.

The plaintiff further argued that a romantic relationship alone cannot be considered a valid marriage.

Defence Position: “The Marriage Was Dissolved”

The first defendant, Kofi Owusu, the family head (Abusuapanin), claimed that Akosua effectively abandoned the musician when he returned to Ghana for medical treatment.

He stated that Akosua and her family presented customary drinks to dissolve the marriage, and the deceased's family accepted them, a recognised traditional process for ending a customary union.

He presented a 2018 legal letter from Akosua’s lawyers demanding property settlement and acknowledging that Daddy Lumba had remarried.

The family head also noted that for more than 15 years, Daddy Lumba had openly recognised Priscilla as his wife, accompanying her to public functions and introducing her as such at traditional and social gatherings.

As evidence, the defence presented:

Letters confirming the dissolution of the earlier marriage

Proof of financial support to children through intermediaries

Photos and videos of Priscilla being publicly introduced as his wife

Footage of who performed in-law rites during the funeral of the singer’s mother

Priscilla Ofori’s Claim

Testifying on Priscilla’s behalf, her in-law James Beniako Boateng (Defense Witness 1) confirmed that Priscilla and Daddy Lumba contracted a customary marriage in April 2010 at Tantra Hills, Accra.

He stated that the musician had told them his marriage with Akosua had already ended.

The pair later lived together at Tantra Hills and East Legon, raising their six children as a family.

According to DW1, Daddy Lumba composed several love songs for Priscilla and regularly presented her as his wife.

He added that during the vigil and early funeral rites, Priscilla was acknowledged by the family as the surviving spouse, without objection.

DW1 stressed that Priscilla had always respected Akosua as the mother of her husband’s older children and wished for peace and unity among all the children.

Customary law expert Osei-Bonsu Safo Kantanka explained to the court that in Ashanti tradition, a valid marriage is confirmed when the families exchange the “head drink”.

He stated that widowhood rites are both spiritual and physical, and only a wife married either customarily or by law is eligible to perform them.

These rites are believed to separate the living from the spirit of the deceased.

Key Issues Before the Court

The court is expected to determine:

Whether the German civil marriage was still valid at the time of Daddy Lumba’s death

Whether Akosua’s prolonged absence amounted to abandonment or divorce

Whether Priscilla’s relationship with the deceased qualified as a valid customary marriage

Whether Akosua’s actions and legal letters implied consent to dissolution

Whether the musician was legally domiciled in Ghana or Germany before his death

The case has generated widespread interest both in Ghana and abroad.

Daddy Lumba’s status as a cultural icon has intensified public fascination with the proceedings.

The matter also raises broader questions about the intersection of customary law, foreign civil law, cohabitation, and traditional widowhood practices.

As of the hearing on November 28, 2025, the Kumasi High Court has heard extensive witness testimonies from family members, in-laws, and customary law experts.

The final judgment will determine who is legally and traditionally recognised as Daddy Lumba’s surviving spouse and who is permitted to perform the sacred widowhood rites.

This historic case underscores the complex tension between traditional law and international marriage laws, while highlighting the sacred importance of widowhood rites in Ghanaian culture.