The family dispute over the estate of late highlife legend Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, took a dramatic turn on Monday at the Kumasi High Court after a key applicant in the case successfully had her name removed from the legal proceedings.
Presiding Judge Hannah Taylor granted a motion for misjoinder filed on behalf of Charlyn Fosuh, one of Daddy Lumba’s daughters, removing her name from an application seeking letters of administration for her father’s estate. Charlyn’s lawyers told the court that she had never authorised her inclusion in the case and was unaware of any affidavit sworn in her name.
According to legal counsel Enoch Afoakwah, Charlyn preferred that all estate matters be handled amicably within the family rather than through prolonged litigation. He said her name had been used without consent, which she viewed as a breach of trust among siblings.
Under Ghana’s intestate succession law (CI 47), a deceased person’s spouse, children, surviving parents, and customary successor are all eligible to apply for letters of administration. Afoakwah acknowledged that the first applicant in the case ,Daddy Lumba’s widow, Akosua Serwaa Fosuh and the third applicant, Akosua Bimpomaa Fosuh, described as the customary successor, had the legal capacity to pursue the application.
However, he argued that should the late musician’s children decide to pursue the process, it ought to be led by the eldest son, Calvin Fosuh, in keeping with family hierarchy and tradition.
The court’s decision to strike out the application linked to Charlyn Fosuh means the overall filing has been derailed, at least temporarily, as the authority to administer the estate remains legally unclear following her removal. It also reflects a broader desire among some family members to resolve matters privately and protect Daddy Lumba’s legacy without further public legal battles.
This latest legal setback comes amid ongoing disputes within the family over who should manage the late singer’s estate and how his legacy should be preserved. While the widow and customary successor are still positioned to pursue letters of administration, Charlyn’s withdrawal underscores growing complexities in what has become a highly publicised case involving one of Ghana’s most celebrated musicians.
