The La State Council has directed that no funeral celebrations, including the planned one-week funeral rites in honour of the late highlife legend Charles Kojo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, be held during the ongoing Homowo festival.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 28, 2025, the Council said it had observed media advertisements announcing a one-week funeral celebration for the music icon.

While expressing its “deepest condolences” to the bereaved family, friends, and the nation for the loss of a “towering international music icon,” the Council reminded the public of the ban on noise-making and all funeral-related activities during the sacred period.

The ban, which took effect on Monday, August 11, 2025, covers the entire La Traditional Area—stretching from the main La township through Maalejor on the Dodowa road to Ayi Mensah at the foot of the Aburi mountains. It forms a critical part of customs observed during Homowo.

“During this sacred period, Niimei would have entered the spiritual realm. As such, no activity that contravenes the cultural and spiritual order will be tolerated,” the Council cautioned.

The Council has strictly prohibited all funeral-related events within the jurisdiction during the ban period and warned that no exceptions will be made. It emphasised that any such event must be postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled outright.

“There shall be no compromises whatsoever in the enforcement of this directive,” the Council stated. “Our duty is to protect, uphold, and preserve the rich cultural heritage and sacred traditions handed down to us by our forebears, and this will be done without fear or favour.”

The Council added that anyone who attempts to violate the directive “does so at their own risk and will face the full weight of customary and lawful sanctions.”

The ban will remain in effect until Friday, 5th September 2025 at 6:00 pm.

Despite the stern warning, the La State Council reassured the bereaved family of its support at an appropriate time, once the ban has been lifted, to honour Daddy Lumba in a manner befitting his legacy.

Daddy Lumba died in July at The Bank Hospital in Cantonments, Accra. Born on September 29, 1964, he rose to prominence in the 1980s and went on to release more than 30 albums, with timeless hits such as Aben Wo Ha, Theresa, Yentie Obiaa, and Playboy.

From his early days with Nana Acheampong as part of the Lumba Brothers to his stellar solo career, he became a cultural icon whose influence shaped generations of musicians and earned him a permanent place in the hearts of Ghanaians and music lovers across the world