Ghana’s highlife legend dies age 60

Ghanaians are mourning one of the country’s best known singers, Charles Kojo Fosu, known as Daddy Lumba, who has died aged 60.

A statement from the family of the legendary highlife artist said he died in hospital on Saturday after a short illness.

Daddy Lumba, whose musical career spanned almost four decades, “was a cultural icon and his music touched countless lives”, the statement said.

Kofi Okyere-Darko, director of diaspora affairs at the office of the president, described Daddy Lumba as “the greatest from Ghana in the last 100 years”.

Daddy Lumba inspired many young Ghanaian musicians to pursue highlife music – a genre synonymous with the country.

He is credited with 33 albums and more than 200 songs over his long career, touching on themes such as love, forgiveness, beauty, money, death and other social themes.

President John Mahama paid tribute to him on Sunday with a post on Facebook.

“Lumba’s unmatched musical genius provided the soundtrack to our lives, carrying us through various phases of life,” he wrote. “The beats to his memorable songs may have died down, but his enduring legacy will echo through the ages.”

Meanwhile former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said “his passing is indeed a huge blow not only to the music fraternity but the entire country”.

Fellow artists such as Sarkodie, Guru, Sista Afia, M.anifest were among the first to send condolences to the bereaved family, eulogising the “incredible talent he shared with the world”.

Lumba last held a public concert to mark Valentine’s Day on 15 February 2025 to celebrate love, sharing the stage with some of Ghana’s brightest musicians, with many of the country’s politicians and influential people in attendance.

Earlier this month, he met President Mahama at an event organised for senior citizens at the seat of government as part of celebrations to mark the Republic Day holiday.

He had been due to go on tour to the US and Canada later this year.

His most celebrated albums include Sika Sem, Aben Wo Ha, Wo Ho Kyere, Awosoo, Give Peace A Chance and Ahenfue Kyinkye.

His most recent song, Ofon Na Edi Asem Fo, was released in December 2022.

Lumba, born on 29 September 1964 in the town of Nsuta in Ghana’s Ashanti region, began his music journey in the early 1980s.

He got his stage name Lumba when he composed the song Lumba Lumba, which he dedicated to the freedom fighters of South Africa, according to his official website.

Daddy Lumba travelled to Germany and teamed up with fellow highlife musician Nana Acheampong and the duo became known as the Lumba Brothers.

They released their first official album, Yee Ye Aka Akwantuom, in 1986 – the song of the same name captures the struggles of Ghanaian immigrants in Europe searching for a better life.

After the pair fell out and split, Daddy Lumba launched a solo career and released his first album Obi Ate Meso Bio in 1990 and never looked back.

His family has requested privacy “as they navigate this profound grief”.

Details of funeral arrangements will be made public in the coming days.