He Lived a legend and died as one, the man Daddy Lumba: SkobaComms writes

 

Introduction

Today, the mortal remains of the man Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, will be laid to rest at Nsuta in the Ashanti region, where his life begun. It is an open secret that this process has neither been silk not smooth as his singing and talking voices. Indeed, this has been a long road to burial, one that, in my estimation, would further cement the legendary status of the man who commanded rare respect among his contemporaries, generations and the country, at large.

The Man who commanded rare industry respect

While alive, Lumba used scarcity to build an aura of grace around his presence. Truly, his presence was costly. Promoters and music connoisseurs have all attested to their difficulty in securing his services, for events. Consistently, the most recurrent themes in these narratives have been how the legend followed standards, time and procedures to the core. According to the few industry people around him, Daddy Lumba will not bend the rules for anyone, especially when it came to matters regarding punctuality of events and payment for his services. He was not one that many could ride over or on and with his status, it was always dreadful to assume legal banters with him. Quiet and unassuming but you play with his meekness at your own risk.

A true Libra (September 29 born)

Personally, I observed that, as a Libra, Daddy Lumba lived a peaceful and quiet life. His presence could only be invoked when it mattered most; strictly on purpose and nothing else. He protected his privacy as though his life depended on it. Away from the cacophony of regular life, he composed some of the best songs in different niches, from political campaign songs, funeral songs, love songs and songs that extolled royalty and the beauty of life. Daddy Lumba’s unique way of weaving deep-seated concepts into crafty creative compositions, elevated by his soothing voices and melodious rhymes, was simply phenomenal. At his status, he did not compose for the beauty of it but he found ways to communicate very sensitive matters, including the pleasure and challenges of love, his personal issues with his family, his battles living abroad, political campaign renditions, among a host of other issues. He is by far the most decorated artist of his time; one whose craft breaks through intergenerational clutter. That is rare right? That is legendary, indeed.

Political but hardly partizan

To me, the man whose mortal remains we honour today, was a true hero, whose craft never suffered for regularly composing political campaign songs for a particular political party. This would ordinarily cost many their career, but not DL. While he stayed clear of politics, his sounds made the political waves needed to send chills down the spines of other parties. Even at this, he kept a diplomatic relationship across the political divide, a feat that many of his contemporaries could hardly achieve.

A tinge of legal Maze

The processes leading to today has been both remarkable and legendary, one that has stretched Ghana’s family law in a manner that has agitated many. In many regards, people have had cause to question how our laws work. Personally, I have been unsettled at how a judge could announce his judgment in court, only for him to recall the parties after two hours to instruct that the plaintiff be made to compensate the Abusua Panyin of GHC 2 million before their request for injunction would be granted.

According to the lawyers of the Plaintiff, their client had two hours to produce the said amount or forfeit their request to have the body of Daddy injuncted or the Abusua Panyin from proceeding with the funeral of DL. In their estimation, the judge acted outside the remit of the reliefs sought, exceeded the powers that were available to him and assumed a role as a party to the case by making a demand for compensation and actually assigning an amount when no formal application for compensation has been made by the other interested party. Prior to this, another High court in Kumasi had ruled that both SRURVIVING spouse of Daddy Lumba be allowed to conduct widowhood rites, having handed a landmark judgement that intrigued and split hairs within and outside of the legal fraternity.

As I closely monitor comments and events surrounding these major cases and the verdicts that followed them, I am convinced that a lot more must be done to restore the confidence that people have in the judiciary. Besides, a lot more of civic education would be required to help people appreciate issues beyond their emotions, as allowing the growing mistrust to fester could prove costly to our democracy.

 

Conclusions

A legend goes home today. He did not just pay his dues to us but he lived mystically, mythically and almost magically, a life of total legendary standing that has followed him to his grave. Sleep well. Sleep. You did your part and Ghana is grateful to you.

 

Written by Samuel Boateng Osarfo

Marketing Communications/Writing Consultant

@Kingofcomms/SkobaOfficial