One of Ghana’s leading highlife music icons, Charles Kojo Fosu aka Daddy Lumba, last Tuesday celebrated his 45th birthday at his residence at Tantra Hill in Accra. The celebration attracted a number of showbiz personalities including models from Exopa Modeling Agency, as well as friends of Daddy Lumba. As part of activities to celebrate his birthday, the host of Adom FM’s Ofie Kwanso programme, Abeiku Santana, dedicated one and half hours of the programme to playing Lumba’s songs in his honour. Speaking on Adom FM, Daddy Lumba, who credited his success to hard work, thanked Ghanaians for supporting him throughout his 25 years in active music. He told Abeiku Santana that he was happy to be alive to continue with his career adding, “It is the work of God which has made it possible for me to reach this far”. He expressed gratitude to all his colleagues who in various ways contributed toward the success of all his albums. Daddy Lumba expressed appreciation to his former girlfriend Theresa, who was the brain behind his travelling to Europe to pursue his musical career. Lumba told Abeiku Santana that although he composed a song for Nana Addo, his doors are open for everybody, including the president. A number of Lumba’s fans called in to the programme to wish him well, whilst others also encouraged him to continue with the good work he was doing. Throughout his career, Daddy Lumba has been consistent, and music fans always see originality in all his song. All of Lumba’s 20 albums became instant hits, catapulting him straight to superstar status; making him a household name and a national treasure. Daddy Lumba’s albums have yielded more number one and top ten hits than any other Ghanaian musician in the past decade. Coining so many phrases with his lyrics, Lumba has been responsible for some of the new lingo used in our everyday language. Going to a social function without hearing at least one of his songs is like going to a party without music. Daddy Lumba started his music career as one part of the Lumba Brothers duo when he collaborated with his partner Nana Acheampong. They released their first album entitled ‘Yereye Aka Akwantuo Mu’. This song depicted the number of Ghanaian immigrants that originally leave the country to seek better fortunes abroad but make those temporary homes permanent due to financial, emotional, or other unforeseen hardships. Lumba’s wife produced the album. Year after year Daddy Lumba released one hit album after the other producing hit-songs 'Ohia Asem', 'Playboy', 'Seese Wo Se', 'Odo Foforo', Biribi Gye Gye Wo', 'Back for Good' and 'Aben Wo Ha'; an album that took the country and his fans by storm. He collaborated with stars including A. B. Crentsil, Selina, Felix Owusu, Yaw Micah, Borax, Ofori Amponsah, and Pat Thomas. Daddy Lumba in 1999 paired up with rising star, Ofori Amponsah to release 'Woho Kyere'. This album produced five hits and shot Ofori Amponsah into the limelight. Lumba followed up with 'Adepa Hye Adepa', 'Poison', 'Papa Samo', 'Ofie Banbofo', 'Asee Ho', Odo Bewu Dee Eno Nwu', among others. By George Clifford Owusu