Daddy Lumba did not marry Odo Broni – elder sister tells court

The legal dispute over the estate and marital status of music legend Daddy Lumba took a dramatic turn at the Kumasi High Court when his sister testified that there was no marriage between the musician and his long-time partner, Priscilla Ofori, popularly known as Odo Broni.

Ernestina Fosuh, also known as Akosua Brempomaah, appeared under oath before Her Ladyship Dorinda Smith-Arthur to give evidence in a suit filed by Akosua Serwaa Fosuh, who claims to be Daddy Lumba’s legal wife.

Akosua Serwaa Fosuh is seeking a court declaration that she is the musician’s only surviving spouse and, therefore, the sole person entitled to perform widowhood rites. She is also requesting an order restraining Priscilla Ofori from referring to herself as Daddy Lumba’s wife.

During cross-examination, Ernestina Fosuh acknowledged being aware of her late brother’s relationship with Odo Broni, which produced six children, including one named after the witness. However, she firmly stated that the relationship never resulted in a marriage.

Ernestina further asserted that her brother married the plaintiff, Akosua Serwaa Fosuh, in both customary and civil ceremonies, personally witnessing the customary marriage at Bomso in 1991 and the civil ceremony in Germany in 2004.

The witness also provided insight into Daddy Lumba’s personal affairs, explaining that he had moved to Ghana to oversee a housing project and receive treatment for a back injury sustained in a lorry accident.

When asked by defence counsel Dominic Kwadwo Osei why the plaintiff had not relocated to Ghana to join her husband, Ernestina Fosuh explained that her brother had advised her against frequent travel due to the high cost of airfare. She further mentioned a €50,000 loan her brother allegedly took from a German financial institution, which reportedly influenced his decision to limit his wife’s trips.

The defence challenged the existence of the loan, prompting a heated exchange as the witness could not provide immediate written proof. Ernestina Fosuh maintained that the evidence, written in Dutch, was on her phone and that she was relaying what her brother had confided to her.

The defence highlighted a prior statement from the plaintiff on October 29, 2025, citing the loan amount as €100,000, suggesting inconsistencies in the witness’s account. Despite this, Ms. Fosuh stood firm, insisting she had testified based on what she knew.