Having started his career with the musical duo group Lumba Brothers, legendary highlife singer Daddy Lumba, known privately as Charles Kojo Fosu, and his partner Ernest Nana Acheampong released their first album entitled “Yɛɛyɛ Aka Akwantuo Mu.”
The pair planned to release the album in 1986, but due to financial constraints, the album was released in 1989 with the help of Lumba’s wife, Akosua Serwaa, who produced the album.
Lumba was born on September 29, 1964, to Owoahene Kwadwo Fosu, a teacher, and Comfort Gyamfi. His talent blossomed at the age of 16, when he was the leader of the Juaben Senior High School choir from 1983 to 1984, as he completed the school in 1985.
With the help of his girlfriend Theresa, Lumba traveled to Germany to seek greener pasture after school, where he met Ernest Nana Acheampong and formed the Lumba Brothers group.
Back then, Daddy Lumba only knew gospel but was introduced into the world of highlife music by Nana Acheampong.
Their album became an instant hit as it depicts Ghanaian immigrants that originally leave the country to seek better fortunes abroad but make those temporary homes permanent due to financial, emotional, or other unforeseen hardships.
In the late 1980s or early 1990s, he became a solo singer after a feud between him and Nana Acheampong. The feud was rumored to be about a battle for a woman and money, but Nana Acheampong in a recent interview denied the allegations.
Under his solo project, Daddy Lumba released various hit songs, including ‘Theresa,’ ‘Obi ato me so boo,’ Ohia Asem,’ ‘Playboy,’ ‘Seese Wo Se,’ ‘Odo Foforo,’ Biribi Gye Gye Wo’ and ‘Back for Good.’
Since then, he has averaged an album a year and has collaborated with other top musicians like A. B. Crentsil, Selina, Felix Owusu, Yaw Micah, Borax, and Pat Thomas, another iconic figure in the Ghanaian music industry.
Daddy Lumba, in all, has released 34 albums. The albums included critically acclaimed ones such as Aben Wɔha, Awosuɔ, Obi Ate Me So Buɔ, Sika, and ‘Nnipa Fon Na Ɛka Nsɛm Fon.’
In 1999, the legendary singer introduced a future king of love songs, Ofori Amponsah, through his blockbuster hit album Woho Kyere, which was released in the same year. They produced five hits, which shot Ofori Amponsah to fame. Altogether, he has sprung the careers of 13 different Ghanaian musicians.
Apart from Ofori Amponsah and Nana Acheampong, Daddy Lumba has also collaborated with Ateaa Tina, Oheneba Kissi, and Afua Ampofowaa.
Due to his renowned works, Daddy Lumba won three awards in 1999, including Best Album, Artist of the Year, and the Most Popular Song of the Year at the Ghana Music Awards.
Before the year 2002, Daddy Lumba came out every year with a hit album, catapulting him straight into superstar status and making him a household name and a national treasure.
Daddy Lumba’s solo career has not been devoid of controversy; one moment he would release a gospel album, and the next he would shock people with his provocative lyrics and music videos.
He has also faced accusations of skin bleaching, but he denied bleaching his skin. Daddy Lumba also led Ghanaians on when he mingled his career with politics, releasing a political hit track, “Nana Winner,” which contributed to the victory the New Patriotic Party (NPP) gained in the 2016 general elections.
In September 2022, Daddy Lumba opened DLFM (106.9 MHz), a radio station broadcasting in Twi in the Greater Accra Region, among many other private businesses he owned.
He also celebrates his achievements through his concert, Legends Night, and is widely regarded as the greatest Ghanaian musician of all time (GOAT).
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Joyceline Natally Cudjoe
