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The Manhyia Palace has urged the family of the late highlife musician Daddy Lumba to observe a truce, as deliberations continue over the scheduling of his final funeral rites. The directive follows the invocation of the Otumfuo Ntam Kɛseɛ, the Great Oath of the Asantehene, by Lumba’s sister, Ernestina Fosuh. Her action placed the dispute under Asante customary law, after she challenged the family head, Abusuapanyin Kofi Owusu Fosuh from proceeding with funeral rites before an autopsy was conducted. The truce, as directed by the judicial council at the Manhyia Palace is intended to allow calm and reflection while the traditional judicial committee reviews the case. The Great Oath carries spiritual, social, and moral weight, and its invocation means the matter is now fully under the Asantehene’s authority. During the truce period, no funeral activities are to proceed without the explicit consent or ruling of the palace’s judicial council. Disregarding this directive could be seen as a breach of Asante customary law, with potential ritual or social consequences. A Kumasi High Court had dismissed an injunction application filed by a woman claiming to be the lawful wife of the late Ghanaian highlife legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosuh, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, in a case that has drawn national attention ahead of the musician’s planned funeral. The case, brought by Akosua Serwaa Fosuh, sought to restrain the family of the late singer and the Transitions Funeral Home from moving his body or proceeding with the funeral arrangements scheduled for 6 December, at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. The plaintiff’s legal team had argued that a civil marriage certificate from Germany, where the late musician once lived, proved that she was legally married to him and that, under Ghanaian law, a person cannot contract another marriage after a civil ordinance. He told the court that “the deceased’s body remains under the authority of his immediate and extended family, including his wife and children,” urging the court to restrain the defendants. Lawyers for the first defendant, Abusua Panin Kofi Owusu, countered that the plaintiff was no longer married to the musician, citing traditional dissolution rites that were “performed and witnessed by the gods” in line with customary practice. He said allowing the plaintiff to be presented as a wife would “bring shame and spiritual consequences to the royal family of Parkoso.” The second respondent, Priscilla Ofori, popularly known as Odo Broni, also opposed the injunction, arguing that the purported German marriage certificate was invalid because it lacked a registrar’s signature and notarization. After hearing arguments from all parties, the court ruled that the plaintiff does not possess the automatic right to determine the funeral arrangements of the late musician. The court held that such authority rests with the wider family, in accordance with customary practice and established legal principles. The court has ordered all parties to file all necessary legal processes by Friday (31 October), for a Case Management Conference scheduled for 14 November. This will set the stage for the main hearing, which is slated to begin on 17 November. The court expects the hearing to be completed by 21 November, with a final judgment on the broader case expected on 25 November. Asaase Broadcasting Company airs on Asaase 99.5 Accra, Asaase 98.5 Kumasi, Asaase 99.7 Tamale, Asaase 100.3 Cape Coast, AsaasePa 107.3 (Accra). Affiliates: Bawku FM 101.5, Bead FM 99.9 (Bimbilla), Mining City Radio 89.5 (Tarkwa), Nandom FM 101.9, Nyatefe Radio 94.5 (Dzodze), Sissala Radio 96.3 (Tumu), Somuaa FM 89.9 (Gushegu), Stone City 90.7 (Ho) and Wale FM 106.9 (Walewale). Listen online: asaaseradio.com, Sound Garden and TuneIn. X: @asaaseradio995, @Asaase985ksi, @Asaase997tamale, @asaase1003, asaasepa1073 Instagram: asaaseradio99.5, asaase985ksi, asaase100.3, asaase99.7tamale, asaasepa107.3 LinkedIn: company/asaaseradio995. TikTok: @asaaseradio99.5 Facebook: asaase99.5, asaase985ksi, Asaase100.3, asaase99.7, AsaasePa107.3. YouTube: AsaaseRadioXtra. Join the conversation. Accra: call 020 000 9951/054 888 8995, WhatsApp 020 000 0995. Kumasi: call 059 415 7985 or call/WhatsApp 020 631 5260. Tamale: call/WhatsApp/SMS 053 554 6468. Cape Coast: call/WhatsApp 059 388 2652. #AsaaseRadio #TheVoiceofOurLand
