Traditional authorities within the Ga State have issued a strong warning that the body of late Ghanaian highlife legend Daddy Lumba could be exhumed if reports that he was buried at his private residence in East Legon prove to be true.
The warning was delivered by representatives of the office of Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, the spiritual head of the Ga-Dangbe people.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, March 12, 2026, a representative of the office explained that the matter has become a serious concern for traditional authorities because such a burial arrangement could conflict with long-standing Ga-Dangbe customs and traditions.
According to reports, the issue came to light after a letter from the office of the Gborbu Wulomo-Shitse circulated widely on social media earlier in the week.
The letter summoned the family head of the late musician, Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu, to appear before the traditional authority on March 12 to address claims that the celebrated highlife artiste had been buried at his residence.
Reports suggested that the meeting was intended to clarify statements allegedly made by the family head indicating that Daddy Lumba had been laid to rest at his home in East Legon.
Traditional leaders indicated that such an action, if confirmed, would violate established cultural and traditional burial practices within the Ga State.
On Thursday morning, several Ga traditional leaders gathered at the office of the Gborbu Wulomo expecting to meet the family representative.
However, after waiting for several hours, Abusuapanin Kofi Owusu reportedly failed to appear, a development that angered many of the assembled elders.
Speaking after the meeting, Reverend Jesse Ankrah explained that the alleged actions attributed to the family head could amount to a breach of Ga traditions.
“Under Ga-Dangbe customs, there are designated places within the community where burials are permitted. No individual is allowed to bury a person outside those recognised areas,” he stated.
The clergyman further explained that exceptions to the rule exist only under very special circumstances and require specific traditional rites to be performed beforehand.
“In very exceptional situations, certain rituals must be performed before such an arrangement can be accepted,” he added.
He warned that failure by the family head to honour the summons could compel traditional authorities to take further steps.
“If he refuses to honour our invitation, the next step may be for us to go to the residence in East Legon and exhume the body so that the necessary rites can be performed to purify the land,” he said.
The traditional authorities indicated that they will hold further consultations to determine the appropriate course of action regarding the matter.
They emphasised that their main objective is to ensure that cultural traditions and burial protocols of the Ga-Dangbe people are respected.
The controversy surrounding Daddy Lumba’s alleged burial has generated widespread discussion across Ghana, particularly among cultural leaders and music fans who continue to follow developments closely.
As deliberations continue, the Ga traditional authorities say they remain committed to safeguarding the customs and traditions that guide burial practices within their communities.
