On Saturday, 30 August 2025, Independence Square also known as Black Star Square, in Accra transformed into a sea of music, emotion, and remembrance of Daddy Lumba’s One-Week Celebration.
According to GhanaRegions.com, thousands of mourners, well wishers, fellow musicians, and dignitaries gathered to honor the one-week observance of Ghana’s late highlife legend, Daddy Lumba.
The atmosphere was heavy with reverence: fans clad in highlife chic, voices raised in chorus, and memories of the man whose music stitched itself into the nation’s cultural fabric.
Daddy Lumba’s One-Week Venue Shift: From Legon To New Stage
Originally slated for the University of Ghana Sports Complex, the venue was switched to Independence Square due to a noise-making ban imposed by the La Traditional Area. This logistical change did little to dampen spirits: if anything, the grandeur of Black Star Square elevated the ceremony, offering a fitting stage for a “soundtrack of a nation.”
Music, Memories, and Mourners
The program brimmed with performances of Daddy Lumba’s most iconic hits “Aben Wo Ha,” “Sika Asem,” “Theresa,” and countless others that have soundtracked generations of Ghanaian life. Artists and admirers paid tribute not only through song but through heartfelt testimonies, prayers, and reflections on Lumba’s artistry and humanity. The emotional ambiance was both somber and celebratory, fitting for a legend who balanced romance, wit, and cultural gravity in every lyric.
Organized with Dignity
The event was orchestrated by the Creative Arts Agency in collaboration with the Fosu family, blending hospitality and respect in service of Ghana’s musical icon. While this ceremony marked a major tribute, further funeral arrangements in Kumasi were announced to be forthcoming ensuring his home region will also be the stage for lasting farewells.
A Legacy Forged in Melody
For over four decades, Daddy Lumba chronicled Ghana’s joys, struggles, and romances through his work. His music, grounded in Twi and Ghanaian folklore yet open to modern innovation, built an emotional lexicon for fans across generations.
His passing on 26 July 2025, at age 60, following a short illness, sparked a wave of national mourning. This one-week observance was both cathartic and communal a musical memorial befitting a national treasure.
What Made the One-Week Celebration So Meaningful
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Date & Location | 30 August 2025, Black Star Square, Accra |
| Reason for Venue Change | Noise ban at original venue (University of Ghana Sports Complex) |
| Attendees | Thousands: fans, family, musicians, cultural leaders |
| Highlights | Performances of legendary songs, poignant memories, prayers |
| Organizers | Creative Arts Agency and the Fosu family |
| Next Steps | Funeral arrangements to be held in Kumasi |
In essence, the one-week celebration of Daddy Lumba was more than a memorial it was an affirmation of the power of music to unite, to heal, and to immortalize. Against the iconic backdrop of Independence Square, Ghanaians paid tribute to one of their own: a voice that will undeniably echo on.
