Ghanaian musician Fameye has stirred conversation on social media after boldly declaring that the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba is greater than the late American pop icon Michael Jackson.
In an interview on TV3, the “Nothing I Get” hitmaker explained that his statement was based on the cultural and emotional impact Daddy Lumba has had on Ghanaians and African music lovers.
“I see that Lumba is greater than Michael Jackson. Everyone with his or her opinion, but Daddy Lumba is great,” Fameye said, adding that “Michael Jackson sings in English, which I don’t hear.
He praised Lumba’s decades-long career, his ability to produce timeless hits, and the way his songs have remained relevant across generations.
The remark has sparked debate among fans, with some agreeing that Lumba’s influence in Ghanaian and African music is unmatched, while others argue that Michael Jackson’s global dominance is unparalleled.
🎙️ ‘Daddy Lumba is greater than Michael Jackson’ – Fameye#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/EP0jxq9lgh
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) August 13, 2025
Daddy Lumba, born Charles Kwadwo Fosu, is regarded as one of Ghana’s most celebrated highlife musicians, with a career spanning over three decades and a catalogue of hit songs that continue to resonate with audiences.
Daddy Lumba died at The Bank Hospital, located in Cantonments, Accra, in the early morning hours of July 26, 2025.
Lumba had died at age 60.
Across the country, the outpouring of grief has been deafening. In Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, and smaller towns alike, his music echoes from every corner.
Food vendors, barbershops, hair salons, and markets have all become hubs of remembrance, playing back-to-back Lumba tracks.
Some fans broke down in tears on hearing the news. Others danced solemnly, holding radios close to their hearts.
Online, fans are posting old concert videos, rare interviews, and their favourite lyrics.
Lumba’s passing has united Ghana in a rare moment of national cultural mourning. He didn’t just make music; he made memory.
Born on September 29, 1964, in Nsuta-Amangoase in the Ashanti Region, Lumba’s career began in earnest with the 1989 release of Yereye Aka Akwantuo Mu.
Over the next 36 years, he released over 200 songs across 33 albums—more than most musicians achieve in a lifetime.
His genius lay in his contradictions. One year, he would release a gospel hit like Mesom Jesus.
Next, he would scandalise conservative audiences with provocative bangers like Aben Wo Ha.
He was both spiritual and sensual, moral and mischievous.
That duality endeared him to a vast audience.
For the pious, the romantic, the political, and the playful, there was always a Lumba song to match the moment.
