NPP GERMANY
PRESS RELEASE
04—08—2025
NPP GERMANY Gives Account Of How Life In Germany Shaped The Iconic Legacy Of Daddy Lumba
With heavy hearts and tearful eyes,
We, NPP GERMANY Branch joins our fellow Ghanaians across the globe in mourning the sudden passing of an irreplaceable musical colossus, a cultural torchbearer, and a soul that sang the hopes and heartbreaks of a nation—Charles Kwadwo Fosu, affectionately known to us all as Daddy Lumba.
Gone too soon, yet your voice remains—eternal.
From the cobbled streets of Hamburg to the highlife stages of Accra, You sang not only with melody, but with memory.
You poured your life into every lyric—each note a chronicle of love, longing, struggle, and triumph.
You gave voice to the voiceless, healing to the broken-hearted, and joy to the weary.
Your music crossed oceans and touched us in distant lands.
For those of us far from home, your songs became our home.
In moments of solitude, we found kinship in your rhythms.
In moments of celebration, you gave us anthems to dance to—songs that made Ghana come alive in our hearts.
You were not just a musician.
You were a movement.
A master of reinvention.
A living legend whose legacy now walks with the ancestors.
We mourn not only your death, but the silence that follows.
That stage you once set ablaze with timeless brilliance now stands still and bare.
But your music—your memory—will echo on.
In our homes, in our gatherings, in our hearts.
The name Daddy Lumba evokes reverence across generations of Ghanaians. Born Charles Kwadwo Fosu in 1964, he rose from humble beginnings in Nsuta, Ashanti Region, to become one of Ghana’s most iconic and successful highlife musicians.
His life story is not just one of musical genius—it is a powerful narrative of transformation, resilience, and global influence, with Germany playing a pivotal role in shaping the sound, spirit, and success of the legend we celebrate today.
Germany: The Crucible of a Star’s Reinvention
When a young Lumba left Ghana for Germany in the mid-1980s, he was not yet the highlife colossus we now remember.
He was just a young man with a dream, gifted but relatively unknown, seeking better opportunities in a foreign land. But it was this very displacement—being uprooted from home and thrust into a multicultural European setting—that became a blessing in disguise.
Germany didn’t just provide a new environment; it became a creative incubator.
In Germany, Lumba encountered the burgeoning influence of modern music technology, European pop sensibilities, and a robust Ghanaian diaspora community hungry for a taste of home.
It was there that he met Nana Acheampong, with whom he formed the iconic Lumba Brothers.
Their debut album, Yɛɛyɛ Aka Akwantuo Mu, released in 1989, marked the beginning of a renaissance in Ghanaian highlife music—an infusion of traditional rhythms with Western instrumentation and modern themes. That first album wasn’t just a hit; it was a cultural reset.
Exposure to Modern Music Production
One of the underrated advantages of Lumba’s German years was access to cutting-edge recording studios and musical instruments.
At a time when Ghana’s music industry was struggling with analog limitations, Germany offered him a world-class music environment.
He could experiment with new sounds, fuse highlife with funk, synth, and disco, and produce records with crisp, international quality. The Lumba sound—soulful, rhythmic, provocative, yet rooted in Akan tradition—was born in this melting pot of influences.
Cultural Duality: Bridging Two Worlds
Lumba’s experiences in Germany broadened his worldview and helped him craft lyrics that connected with both Ghanaians at home and those in the diaspora.
His songs explored themes of love, betrayal, societal hypocrisy, perseverance, and self-worth with a raw honesty that transcended borders.
He learned to code-switch musically—delivering wisdom in Twi while borrowing stylistic cues from global pop, soul, and reggae. This duality gave him a universal appeal: he was Ghanaian to the core, yet globally tuned.
Moreover, life in Germany exposed him to the struggle of immigrants—loneliness, identity crises, racism, and economic hardship.
These realities informed some of his most introspective songs. Tracks like Aben Wɔ Ha and Ohia Asem are not just dancefloor anthems; they are poignant social commentaries reflecting the burdens many Africans face abroad.
Reinvention and Fearless Independence
Perhaps most crucially, Germany fostered in Daddy Lumba a fierce sense of independence.
When he returned to Ghana in the 1990s, he was not just another musician trying to break through—he was a self-made artist with a clear vision, technical know-how, and business savvy. He took charge of his brand, famously producing and financing many of his own albums.
His label, DL Music, set the tone for modern artist entrepreneurship in Ghana long before it became fashionable.
That independence also empowered him to be creatively fearless.
Whether it was his controversial lyrics, flamboyant fashion, or genre-bending style, Lumba was always steps ahead of his peers. And while critics occasionally dismissed him as “too Western,” it was precisely his cosmopolitan polish—honed in Germany—that allowed him to dominate Ghana’s music scene for over three decades.
A Legacy Rooted in Global Soil
As Ghanaians continue to mourn the passing of Daddy Lumba, it is vital that we remember not just the songs, but the journey. Lumba’s story is not merely that of a highlife singer—it is the tale of how migration, cultural fusion, and personal reinvention can birth a legend.
Germany was not a detour in his life. It was the forge in which his artistry was sharpened, his worldview expanded, and his sound refined.
Without Germany, there would be no Theresa, no Aben Wɔ Ha, no Tokro, no unmatched streak of over 30 classic albums.
Daddy Lumba’s music will forever live on in our speakers, hearts, and dancefloors. But let us also honor the road that shaped the man behind the music.
His life in Germany didn’t just change him—it changed Ghanaian music forever.
Daddy Lumba’s Political Gift: How His Song Boosted NPP’s Path To Victory
In Ghana’s political landscape, few artists have dared to openly align themselves with a political party, let alone lend their craft to an election campaign.
But music icon Daddy Lumba broke that mold when he composed and released a bold campaign song for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of the 2012 and 2016 general elections.
The song, “Nana Is A Winner”, was more than just a jingle. It was a cultural and political weapon—resonating deeply with the grassroots and middle class alike.
With his legendary voice, Daddy Lumba captured the hopes of many Ghanaians who yearned for change, packaging it in lyrics that painted Akufo-Addo as a visionary leader and an agent of transformation.
For a country where political music often stirs controversy, Lumba’s endorsement was a risk. But it paid off.
His influence, credibility, and musical reach gave the NPP’s campaign an emotional and psychological edge, especially among the youth and floating voters.
The song became an anthem on campaign platforms, radio stations, and in the streets—cementing the image of Akufo-Addo as a winner long before the ballots were cast.
Daddy Lumba’s contribution wasn’t just musical—it was strategic.
He humanized the NPP brand and energized its base. In doing so, he proved that art can be a powerful force in shaping political destiny.
As Ghanaians mourn his passing, we must remember not only his unmatched musical legacy but also his pivotal role in one of the most significant political moments in Ghana’s democratic history.
May his soul be wrapped in the warmth of ancestral embrace.
May his journey to eternity be lit by the countless lives he inspired.
Sleep well, Daddy Lumba.
You have done your part for mother Ghana.
You sang your truth.
You lived your gift.
Rest in perfect peace, legend of legends.
Damirifa due!
Due ne amanehunu.
Rest in power, Lumba!!!
The legend lives!!!!
Signed……
Nana Osei Boateng
NPP GERMANY Branch
Communications Director
