When a nation loses a legend, we honour him with dignity, not with lawlessness, cultural violation, and a reckless disregard for the authority of the courts. The Ga Traditional Council cannot sit aloof while a storm of contempt, confusion, and cultural desecration brews at East Legon.

Since the passing of Ghana’s music icon, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, known to the world as Daddy Lumba, Ghanaians have been confronted with a national spectacle of admiration on one side and controversy on the other. While millions continue to celebrate his unforgettable legacy in music and entertainment, others are deeply unsettled by the unfolding chaos surrounding his widowhood rites, funeral arrangements, and now the alarming plan to bury him inside his East Legon residence.

The dispute between the rightful wife, Maami Akosua Serwaa, and the self-acclaimed second partner, Odo Broni, has already created enough tension in the courts and across the nation. Yet what is emerging now threatens not only the dignity of the deceased but also the very foundation of Ga tradition, public health, and the integrity of the justice system.

A LEGAL BATTLE STILL BEFORE THE COURTS

Following the controversial Kumasi High Court ruling instructing both women to perform widowhood rites, an appeal has been filed, meaning the matter remains active in the judicial system. As long as this appeal is pending, any funeral, burial, or widowhood activity conducted without explicit court permission constitutes contempt of court.

This is not speculation. It is the law.

And yet, the family head of the late musician Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu has publicly indicated his intention to bury Daddy Lumba inside his East Legon house. This announcement suggests not only disregard for the authority of the court but a readiness to violate the very laws that govern our republic.

GA TRADITION IS CLEAR: HOMES ARE NOT CEMETERIES

Even more worrying is the cultural violation looming beneath this entire plot.
The Ga state, with centuries of rich tradition, has always been clear about the burial of the dead:

• The dead are not buried in private homes.
• The dead are buried in designated cemeteries or royal mausoleums.

This is why the late Ga Mantse, Nii Boni Amugi, was buried respectfully in the royal mausoleum.
This is why the late Ga Manye, Naa Dedei Omandro, was laid to rest in the royal mausoleum following strict traditional protocols.

Ordinary Ga citizens, respected elders, chiefs, queen mothers, and cultural custodians are all buried in cemeteries, not living-room compounds, not private gardens, not behind kitchens, and not in luxury mansions.

So, the question must be asked, loudly and publicly:

Why should Daddy Lumba’s family violate Ga cultural standards?
Why should East Legon become a private graveyard?
Why should a cultural taboo be allowed simply because the deceased is famous?

The Ga Traditional Council cannot afford silence at this critical moment. Tradition is not tradition if it only applies selectively.

A MATTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

Beyond tradition lies an equally important concern: public health.

Modern public health standards discourage and, in many cases, prohibit the burial of bodies in residential areas. The concerns are clear:

• Soil contamination
• Groundwater pollution
• Environmental health hazards
• Risks to neighbouring households

What happens today at East Legon could become a dangerous precedent tomorrow:

If Daddy Lumba can be buried in his house, what stops hundreds of others from doing the same?
Will wealthy families now convert gated estates into private cemeteries?
Will East Legon, Trassaco, Cantonments, and Airport Residential become burial grounds?

This is not only unacceptable, but it is also dangerous.

GA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL: LEAD NOW OR LOSE AUTHORITY

The Ga Traditional Authority is not just a cultural symbol; it is the custodian and regulator of tradition, land, and practice within the Greater Accra Region.

Yet at this critical moment, it appears silent, dangerously silent.

Silence now will send the wrong message.
Silence now will embolden impunity.
Silence now will undermine the authority of the Council.

The Ga Traditional Council must rise and publicly prohibit any attempt to bury Daddy Lumba in his East Legon home. The following reasons make such action mandatory:

1. It will constitute contempt of court since the matter is before the Appeals Court.
2. It will violate the Ga burial customs and traditions.
3. It poses a serious public health risk.
4. It will set a dangerous precedent for future unlawful burials within the capital.
5. It undermines justice and traditional authority simultaneously.

A CALL TO ACTION

This is not a trivial matter.
This is not a family dispute.
This is not celebrity drama.

This is about the rule of law, the sanctity of tradition, public health, and the cultural identity of the Ga people.

Accra is not a cemetery.
East Legon is not a burial ground.
And Daddy Lumba’s legacy must not be tainted by illegality.

CONCLUSION

The Ga Traditional Council must act now.
Issue a public directive.
Prohibit the illegal burial.
Protect tradition.
Defend the law.
Safeguard public health.

Ghana is watching.
The courts are watching.
Future generations are watching.

This is the moment for leadership.

Stop burying your head in the sand.
Stand up and protect the integrity of Ga land and Ga tradition.