The Accra High Court has granted an injunction filed by the maternal family of the late music legend Daddy Lumba, restraining Kofi Owusu, the family head (Abusuapanyin), from organizing the musician’s funeral.
The court also ordered Transitions Funeral Home, the third respondent, not to release the body until the substantive legal matter is resolved.
In its ruling, the court observed that affidavits before it indicated the immediate family had been sidelined in the funeral arrangements. While acknowledging that delaying the burial could increase costs, the judge emphasized the necessity of due process and proper family consultation.
The court affirmed the authority of the family head to lead funeral preparations but clarified that such responsibility must be exercised in collaboration with the immediate family.
Furthermore, the court directed the first respondent to convene a stakeholder meeting within three weeks to agree on a new burial date. It also instructed that all funds raised for the funeral be kept separate from the Daddy Lumba Memorial Foundation accounts, with applicants required to file an affidavit with the court registrar.
The dispute follows the death of Daddy Lumba on July 26, 2025, at age 60, and arises from disagreements between his maternal relatives and the family head over funeral leadership and management of funds. The conflict reflects long-standing Akan customs, which grant considerable authority to the maternal lineage in burial matters.