Entertainment
Thousands ‘celebrate’ Daddy Lumba at national candlelight vigil
The Independence Square in Accra was on Saturday night transformed into a glowing sea of candles as thousands gathered to pay tribute to the late highlife icon, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba.
The national candlelight vigil, held just days after his passing on July 26 at age 60, brought together fans, government officials, cultural figures, and musicians to celebrate a man whose music spanned generations and defined Ghana’s musical identity.
Organised by the Creative Arts Agency (CAA), the solemn evening was rich in emotion and symbolism. Two symbolic candles were lit-one on behalf of the President and another by the Ghana Tourism Authority, signifying national honour and gratitude.
A large portrait of the music legend was unveiled amid applause and visible emotion from the crowd.
Throughout the night, the square resonated with live music, poetry, and heartfelt tributes.
Highlife veterans Kwabena Kwabena and Pat Thomas performed emotional renditions of collaborative hits with Lumba, including Obi Ate Meso Buo (Remix) and Ahenfo Kyiniye.
The vigil also featured appearances by spoken-word artists, choral groups, and cultural troupes, while prominent personalities from the creative industry including Sarkodie, Stacy Amoateng, and Emelia Brobbey joined the thousands to honour Lumba’s legacy.
Family members, friends, and public figures offered deeply personal and official tributes.
A message read on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama described Lumba as ‘a national icon’ whose music and legacy ‘remain with us’.
His second wife, Priscilla Ofori-Atta, in a tribute read on her behalf, reflected on their shared life. It said “You were my protector, my joy, my home. Now the silence feels unbearable. The studio is quiet. But your legacy, it sings on.”
His children also paid tribute, thanking the public for their support, saying “Without your love and loyalty, he wouldn’t have become Daddy Lumba.”
MUSIGA President, Bessa Simons called him a cultural mirror: adding that his music didn’t just reflect Ghana; it was Ghana.”
The attendees, many dressed in black, held candles that lit up the entire square in a striking visual tribute. Branded T-shirts and paraphernalia featuring the late icon were also available at the vigil.
The vigil served not only as a farewell but also a celebration, a reminder that Daddy Lumba’s voice and message will continue to echo in the hearts of Ghanaians for generations to come.
BY Stephanie Birikorang
The Kumasi metropolis was thrown into a state of frenzy last Saturday as thousands of fans flocked the Baba Yara Sports Stadium for Sarkodie’s Rapperholic Concert that climaxed the 2025 Momo Fest.
Despite a heavy rainfall, the event, powered by MTN, drew unprecedented crowds for the month-long initiative to promote financial inclusion, the use of mobile money, and raise awareness on MoMo fraud prevention.
The musical event was preceded by educational roadshows, cashless market fairs, and community engagement activities across the country.
Vendors at the MoMo Cashless Market and Fair, set up within the stadium premises, offered goods and services payable exclusively through mobile money, giving patrons a live demonstration of MoMo’s utility.
The concert, headlined by multiple award-winning rapper Sarkodie, featured performances from several high-profile Ghanaian artistes including Medikal, Kofi Kinaata, Donzy, Kweku Smoke, and Efya.
But the appearance of Shatta Wale, who joined Sarkodie on stage, took the excitement a notch higher as it marked a rare public collaboration between the two top acts.
The event would go into the history books as one of the largest music gatherings in Kumasi and a fitting conclusion to a festival that sought to blend innovation with entertainment.
Funeral rites for the late Ghanaian music icon, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, affectionately known as Daddy Lumba, will be held on December 6 at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Later in the evening of December 6, there will be a DL cocktail party at the Rattray Park, which will feature top musicians in the country.
Announcing the funeral arrangements on behalf of the family, former Manhyia North Member of Parliament, Collins Owusu Amankwa, said the decision was reached after consultations with Manhyia, government, and other key stakeholders.
The family cautioned the public to desist from disrespecting the legend on social media by spreading falsehood about his marital status.
Daddy Lumba, 60, passed away on July 26, 2025, at the Bank Hospital in Accra after a short illness.
Following his death, a book of condolence was opened at his East Legon residence for loved ones, friends, colleagues, and fans to pay tribute to his iconic memory.
Subsequently, the government, in collaboration with the Creative Arts Agency, organised a candlelight vigil in his memory at Independence Square in Accra on August 2.
This was later followed by a One Week Observation at the same venue on August 30, which was attended by people from all walks of life.
Born on September 29, 1964, in Nsuta in the Ashanti Region, Daddy Lumba started his music career at a young age. He later joined the Lumba Brothers alongside Nana Acheampong in Germany before launching a solo career.
With about 32 albums and over 200 songs to his credit, Daddy Lumba thrilled the world with classic hits such as “Aben Wo Ha,” “Yentie Obiaa,” “Playboy,” “Theresa,” “Sika Asem,” “Mensei Da,” “Makra Mo,” and many others.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
