Understanding Ghana’s Matrimonial Jurisprudence Through the Lens of the Daddy Lumba Case: A 360° Review of Ghana’s Marriage Laws
FREDERICK GURAH SAMPSON ESQ
The death of music icon Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba, has sparked more than public mourning it has reopened critical legal questions about marriage under Ghanaian law.
Following a controversial ruling by the Kumasi High Court that recognised two surviving spouses under customary law, public debate has intensified around how marriages are formed, proved, and dissolved, and how customary marriage interacts with ordinance marriage upon death.
This paper cuts through the emotion and controversy to explain the law as it stands. It examines the different forms of marriage recognised in Ghana, their legal consequences, and why the Court’s decision though surprising to many rests on long-established legal principles.
Essential reading for anyone seeking clarity on marriage, custom, and the law in Ghana.
