Drama in Daddy Lumba’s Legacy: Widow Appeals Court Ruling on Legal Spouse Status
Akosua Serwaa Goes To Court Again – The legal battle over the legacy of Ghanaian highlife legend, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, continues to intensify.
Akosua Serwaah has now filed a formal appeal at the Court of Appeal in Kumasi, directly challenging a High Court decision that recognized a second woman as an equal lawful widow.
This appeal throws open a fresh chapter in the dispute over who rightfully holds the status of the late musician’s surviving spouse. The core of the new legal fight hinges on a single document and its rejection by the lower court.
Appeal Challenges High Court’s Evidence Ruling
In her notice of appeal, Akosua Serwaah contests the entire judgment from the Kumasi High Court. She asserts the trial judge made a critical error by rejecting a marriage certificate she presented to support her claim of being the sole lawful wife.
The appellant argues the court incorrectly applied the Evidence Act, 1975 (NRCD 323) in declaring this key document inadmissible.
By setting aside this evidence, Serwaah contends the court’s foundation for its judgment was flawed. She is now asking the appellate court to overturn the prior decision and grant her the declaration she originally sought: to be recognized as the only lawful surviving spouse of Daddy Lumba.
Recap of the High Court’s Polygamy Ruling
The appeal responds to a ruling delivered on November 28, 2025, by Justice Dr. Dorinda Smith Arthur at the Kumasi High Court. The court dismissed Akosua Serwaah’s initial lawsuit, which sought exclusive spousal recognition.
Justice Arthur’s court found that Serwaah failed to prove she married Daddy Lumba under the Marriage Ordinance, which typically prescribes monogamy. Instead, the evidence established that their union was a customary law marriage. The court emphasized that customary law in Ghana permits polygamy.
Consequently, the judge ruled that Daddy Lumba’s subsequent customary marriage to Priscilla Ofori, also known as Odo Broni, remained legally valid. The High Court concluded by formally declaring both Akosua Serwaah and Priscilla Ofori (Odo Broni) as the lawful surviving spouses of the music icon.
What This Means for the Daddy Lumba Estate
This appeal presses a crucial legal question that will affect the administration of Daddy Lumba’s estate. The determination of a lawful spouse (or spouses) significantly influences inheritance rights, including claims to property, royalties, and other assets from the musician’s vast career.
The Court of Appeal’s impending decision will either uphold the principle of polygamous customary marriages in this high-profile case or potentially redefine the marital landscape of the legend’s legacy by validating one exclusive spousal claim.
The entertainment community and legal observers await the next step in this landmark case, which underscores the complex interplay between modern statutory law and traditional customary practices in Ghana
