Ghanaian MC and creative personality, David Adjei Frimpong, popularly known as MC Portfolio, has criticised the burial arrangements of the late highlife legend, Daddy Lumba, saying the event did not reflect the cultural excellence and traditions of the Asante people.
Speaking on Starr Showbiz with Feeling Daddy on Starr 103.5 FM on Saturday, December 13, 2025, MC Portfolio described the funeral at Heroes Park in Kumasi as “way below expectation” and said it failed to honour the late musician’s legacy. “I, for the first time on your show, would want to bury my head in shame… it is not something that really met my expectation, not even halfway through,” he said.
According to him, “For Ashanti region that has passed a niche, for how we are able to make funerals surpass, I mean, other social events… you know, the glitz and glam that accompanies the way we do our events, the cultural essence, a whole lot of things. This does not represent the true state of how Asantes celebrate a person who is a symbol of unity. And we need to let them know.”
He pointed to the lack of coordination and preparation, which he believes undermined both the family’s efforts and the cultural significance of the funeral. “I think lack of coordination… and the expenses of the funeral is certainly some of the most disappointing thing I could ever imagine for a person of that Lumba calibre,” he said.
READ: Daddy Lumba’s funeral: “The hand of the state is missing” – MC Portfolio questions state assistance
MC Portfolio also highlighted the absence of key family members, which he said clashed with Akan tradition. “Your absence is culturally… a cultural blunder. Your absence connotes something that is against Akan tradition… irrespective of how you may disagree, one thing to say, your ‘Kuna’ right is a must. You just have to be present,” he stressed.
READ: Court injunction halts Daddy Lumba’s funeral preparations at Kumasi Heroes Park
Despite his criticism, MC Portfolio acknowledged that the family has the ultimate say in funeral arrangements, but emphasised that the event should have celebrated both Daddy Lumba’s stature and Asante culture. “In as much as we want to accept that that Lumba is a national treasure, we also have to respect culture. That he is from a family first, before becoming a national icon. And so, the decision of the family stands paramount,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
