Legends, they say, “never die.” That’s exactly what happened in a Kumasi High Court, as classical songs of highlife legend Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, were played in the open court.
Daddy Lumba’s performance in the open court was at the back of a request by the presiding judge, Her Lady Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur, on Friday, November 21, 2025.
This was after a witness, Osei Bonsu Sarfo Kantanka from the Manhyia Palace, was delayed in mounting the witness box for cross-examination by counsel for Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu and Priscilla Ofori, also known as Odo Broni.
Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu and Odo Broni are the 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively, in a case in which Akosua Serwaa Fosuh is seeking an order of the court to make her the only surviving wife and also the sole performer of widowhood rites at the late musician’s funeral.
She also wants the court to order Odo Broni to stop holding herself out as the wife of the late musician.
But Mr. Sarfo Kantanka, also known as Teacher Kantanka, subpoenaed by the court at the behest of the counsel of the plaintiff and scheduled to continue his testimony, delayed coming to court, delaying the hearing in the process on Friday.
“Can’t we have some music sessions since the witness is not in?” Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur asked.
Members of the bar, including counsel present in the court, responded in the affirmative.
Then the DJ of the court popped up. Lawyer Osei Owusu, counsel for Odo Broni, came in handy with some Daddy Lumba classics on his laptop.
With a good in-built speaker, the stage was set for the highlife legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, also known as Daddy Lumba or DL, to perform.
The first song to drop was ‘Adaka Teaa,’ from the ‘Bubra’ album by the highlife musician Atea Tina, released in 2003.
The legend Daddy Lumba in this song portrayed death as something inevitable for the human race, as he beckoned the wise to take a word from his sayings.
Presiding Judge Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur happily nods to the song and asks, “You don’t like the music or what?” This is in response to the quietness in the courtroom. “Why are you so stiff?”
Then came from another lawyer, “This one is making us sad,” and requested if another DL classic could be played.
Lawyer Osei Owusu then dropped “Menseida,” a hit song originally released in 1992 by the musician Daddy Lumba.
This was found on DL’s ‘Playboy’ album. A remix of the same song was released in 2006, which then became a major hit.
Songs like ‘Sumuye Kasa’ caught the attention of the presiding judge as she exclaimed “wow” to the lyrics, ‘Wo Nkoaa,’ from the ‘Wohokyere’ album.
Charles Kwadwo Fosuh sang with Ofori Amponsah and caught the attention of Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur.
While nodding and making hand gestures to appreciate the songs, she said, “this is nice”.
The introduction of the hit song “Theresah,” a song composed and sung by the Ghanaian highlife musician, a tribute to his high school lover, Theresah Abebresseh, got everyone in the courtroom—lawyers, litigants, and journalists—singing.
For the presiding judge, “This is the only court we play Lumba’s songs.”
The courtroom was filled with the presence of Daddy Lumba, who capped a morning’s performance with a remix with Okyeame Kwame, ‘Enhyie Wo,’ released in December 2006. And when the witness arrived at 10:18, the tension-filled court, usually characterised by interjections, arguments, and counterarguments, had been normalised.
Meanwhile, the hearing continues on Monday, November 24, 2025, with the 1st and 2nd defendants expected to call their witnesses.
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