By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Accra High Court has stopped plans to bury the late highlife legend, Daddy Lumba, after his maternal family filed an injunction against the family head, Kofi Owusu.
On Friday December 12, 2025, the court ruled that Mr. Owusu, who is the Abusuapanyin, cannot go ahead with the funeral arrangements until the case is fully resolved. It also ordered Transitions Funeral Home not to release the musician’s body.
According to the court, documents presented showed that the immediate family had been left out of key decisions about the funeral. The judge said that even though delaying the burial may increase costs, proper family involvement and due process must be followed.
The court explained that although the family head has the traditional right to lead funeral plans, he must do so in consultation with the immediate family. It therefore directed him to call a meeting with all stakeholders within three weeks to agree on a new burial date.
The judge also ordered that all money raised for the funeral should be kept separate from accounts of the Daddy Lumba Memorial Foundation. The applicants were asked to file supporting documents with the court registrar.
The dispute began after Daddy Lumba died on July 26, 2025, at age 60. His maternal relatives and the family head disagreed over who should take charge of the funeral and how the funds should be managed.
The case highlights long-standing Akan customs that give strong authority to the maternal family in burial matters.
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