Highlife star Kwabena Kwabena has paid a moving tribute to the late music icon Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, describing him as a father figure, mentor, and irreplaceable force in Ghana’s music industry.

Daddy Lumba passed away in the early hours of Saturday, 26th July 2025, at the Bank Hospital in Accra. He was 60.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, July 28, Kwabena Kwabena reflected on the profound personal and professional impact the veteran singer had on his life.

“He was so in awe of me, my little contributions at the time, and he encouraged me to do more,” he said.

Kwabena Kwabena recalled one of Lumba’s lasting words of wisdom: “One of the vibes I remember was when he told me, ‘You’re only as good as your last hit.’ That’s what Daddy Lumba told me.”

A Rare Mentor

He described how rare and special it was to have personal access to Daddy Lumba, a figure often seen as reclusive within the music industry.

“Everybody knows how difficult it is to get to him, but when you do and he gives you an appointment, he’ll be there waiting for you. We’ve lost such a great treasure,” he noted.

A Perfectionist at Work

Kwabena Kwabena also highlighted Lumba’s deep understanding of music production and his ability to draw out the best in others.

He recalled a studio session at Appietus’ studio, where Lumba had invited him to contribute to a song. To his surprise, Lumba was not physically present, but was monitoring and guiding the process remotely.

“I had no idea he was behind the scenes. I was in the vocal booth doing my thing, and Appietus would speak to him while I worked,” he recounted.

“The next day he called and said, ‘Oh wow! I love what you did.’”

Celebrating a Legend

In closing, Kwabena Kwabena described Daddy Lumba as more than just a musical genius.

“He was a great father, a great legend, and a great artiste by all standards.”