The Accra High Court has issued an injunction stopping the planned funeral of the late musician Daddy Lumba, following an application by his maternal family. The order restrains the first respondent, family head Kofi Owusu (Abusuapanyin), from proceeding with burial arrangements.
The court further directed the third respondent, Transitions Funeral Home, not to release the musician’s body until the main case is fully determined.
According to the ruling, affidavits filed suggest that the immediate family was excluded from key decisions regarding the funeral. The court stressed that the merits of these concerns must be examined before any burial can go ahead.
Although the judge acknowledged that delaying the funeral could result in additional expenses, the court emphasised that proper procedure and the involvement of all relevant family members must be upheld.
While recognising the family head’s traditional authority to oversee funeral rites, the court clarified that such authority must be exercised in consultation with the immediate family.
The judge ordered the first respondent to convene a stakeholder meeting within three weeks to agree on a new burial date.
Additionally, the court instructed that funds raised for the funeral be kept separate from the accounts of the Daddy Lumba Memorial Foundation. The applicants were also directed to file an affidavit with the court registrar.
The case arises from internal disputes following Daddy Lumba’s death on July 26, 2025, at age 60. Tensions between the musician’s maternal relatives and the family head over funeral leadership and financial handling reflect long-standing Akan traditions that place significant burial authority in the maternal lineage.
