The death of serial hitmaker Daddy Lumba in July 2025 has opened a period of collective remembrance in Ghana.
Over the past five years, we have lost several celebrated musicians whose works continue to resonate with generations.
Here is a look at eight Ghanaian music legends who died between 2020 and now.
Kofi B (Kofi Boakye Yiadom) — Died February 2, 2020
Kofi B, the soulful highlife musician known for timeless hits such as Mmobrowa, Koforidua Flowers, and Twa Me Kɛkɛ, died suddenly in Cape Coast after falling ill just before a scheduled performance. According to reports from medical officers, he experienced high blood pressure, restlessness, sweating, and vomiting before being rushed to the hospital, where he passed away around 3 a.m. His death shocked the music fraternity, marking the beginning of a series of painful losses in Ghana’s highlife scene.
Nana Tuffour (James Kwaku Tuffour) — Died June 2021
Nana Tuffour, affectionately known as 9-9-2-4, was one of Ghana’s most admired highlife vocalists. He’s known for classics such as Abeiku and Owuo Sei Fie. His smooth voice and deep lyrical storytelling made him a staple in the genre for decades. His death in 2021 ended a career that had contributed immensely to Ghanaian music since the late 1970s.
Nana Ampadu (Nana Kwame Ampadu) — Died September 28, 2021
Born on March 31, 1945, in Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region, Nana Ampadu was the founder and lead singer of the African Brothers Band. With more than 800 songs to his credit, he was one of the most prolific songwriters in Ghanaian history. His music often carried moral and political themes, and his song Obra famously became the theme tune for a popular Ghanaian television series. Nana Ampadu died after a brief illness, leaving behind an unmatched legacy in storytelling through highlife music.
A.B. Crentsil (Alfred Benjamin Crentsil) — Died July 13, 2022
Veteran musician A.B. Crentsil was a towering figure in Ghanaian highlife. He was known for his humorous and socially conscious songs such as Juliana, Moses, and Devil. Crentsil, who was 79 at the time of his death, had battled health challenges for some years. His career spanned over five decades, earning him recognition as one of the most enduring voices in Ghanaian music.
Sol Amarfio — Died December 13, 2022
Sol Amarfio, one of the founding members and drummer of the internationally acclaimed band Osibisa, passed away in 2022. He was instrumental in blending Ghanaian rhythms with global rock and funk influences, helping to popularize African music on the world stage in the 1970s and 1980s. Amarfio’s contributions through Osibisa brought Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat sounds to international audiences.
Kwadwo Akwaboah Snr. — Died May 16, 2023
Kwadwo Akwaboah Snr. was a gifted keyboardist, composer, and arranger who worked with several of Ghana’s greats, including Amakye Dede, Rex Omar, and his son, Akwaboah Jnr. His influence extended beyond performance—he played a key role in shaping the sound of contemporary highlife through his musical arrangements. His death in 2023 marked the loss of one of the most versatile instrumentalists of his generation.
George Darko — Died March 20, 2024
George Darko, born on January 12, 1951, in Akropong-Akuapem, was a pioneering figure in the development of “burger highlife.” He rose to prominence in the 1980s with his breakout hit Akoo Te Brofo (“The Parrots Speak English”), which became a defining anthem of the era. A guitarist, composer, and bandleader, Darko founded the Bus Stop Band and later the Golden Stool Band during his years in Germany. He returned to Ghana and was later enstooled as Tufuhene of Akropong-Akuapem under the stool name Nana Yaw Ampem Darko I. His passing in 2024 closed the chapter on one of Ghana’s most innovative musical eras.
Dada K.D. (Nana Kwaku Duah) — Died May 16, 2025
Born in 1968/1969, Dada K.D. was a highlife singer known for his romantic songs and cultural insight. He died after a brief illness at an Accra hospital at age 54. His hit Fatia Fata Nkrumah and other works remain noted in Ghana’s musical history.
Daddy Lumba (Charles Kwadwo Fosu) — Died July 26, 2025
Born on September 29, 1964, Daddy Lumba was one of Ghana’s most celebrated and commercially successful musicians. Over a career spanning four decades, he produced multiple hit albums and songs including Yentie Obiaa, Aben Wo Ha, and Sika Asem. His ability to blend contemporary themes with traditional highlife rhythms made him a dominant force in Ghanaian music. Lumba’s health had reportedly declined in recent years due to spinal complications that led to partial paralysis before his passing in July 2025. He was the recipient of several honors, including the EMY Africa Icon Award and a National Honor in 2024 for his contribution to Ghana’s music industry.
