A landmark ruling from the Kumasi High Court has finally brought clarity to the months-long dispute over who qualifies as the rightful surviving spouse of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba. According to a report by Kumasimail on Friday, 28 November 2025, the court officially recognised both Priscilla Ofori Atta, popularly known as Odo Broni, and Akosua Serwaa Fosuh as valid surviving spouses. The judgment allows both women to participate fully in widowhood rites, funeral activities, and matters relating to the musician’s estate.
The court’s decision marks the culmination of an emotional and highly publicised battle that erupted after Daddy Lumba’s passing on 26 July 2025. Each woman insisted she was the musician’s lawful widow, resulting in competing legal claims and deepening family tensions.
The dispute began formally on 3 October 2025, when Akosua Serwaa Fosuh filed suit seeking a declaration that she was the sole legal spouse. She claimed she contracted a civil marriage with the musician in 2004 in Bornheim, Germany, and argued that this union superseded all customary or informal marital claims. Serwaa also sought an injunction to prevent the musician’s family head, Kofi Owusu Fosu, and co-defendant Odo Broni from performing any funeral or widowhood rites.
The defence countered sharply, arguing that Serwaa’s civil marriage had been customarily dissolved when she allegedly returned the “head drinks,” a traditional symbol of separation. They further insisted that Odo Broni, who shared a home with the musician for over 15 years and had six children with him, was the legitimate spouse under customary law.
The court’s scrutiny intensified during hearings on 25 November 2025, when Serwaa submitted notary-certified German documents to prove the civil marriage. Defence lawyers challenged the documents’ authenticity, pointing out inconsistent fonts and discrepancies in the notary’s signature. The court also observed that Serwaa had failed to provide an original certified marriage certificate, submitting only extracts rather than true certified copies.
Presiding judge Justice Dorinda Smith Arthur noted that Ghanaian family law recognises civil and customary marriages as independent legal frameworks, allowing both to exist simultaneously. This interpretation paved the way for a ruling that acknowledged both marital claims without dismissing either.
In its final judgment, the court concluded that both women were valid spouses of Daddy Lumba and therefore entitled to participate equally in widowhood rites, funeral processes, and estate-related affairs. The ruling is expected to ease long-standing tensions and remove the legal barriers that had delayed the musician’s funeral arrangements.
With this decision, the Kumasi High Court has set a significant precedent on marital recognition in cases involving overlapping civil and customary unions—bringing legal clarity, emotional closure, and a path forward for the family of one of Ghana’s most beloved musical icons.
Kumasi High Court declares both Odo Broni and Akosua Serwaa as lawful spouses of Daddy Lumba