Private legal practitioner Prince Benson Mankotam has urged Ghanaians to organise their personal and legal affairs while alive, warning that once a person dies, their body and estate are largely controlled by family members.
Speaking on Starr Showbiz with Feeling Daddy on Starr 103.5 FM on Saturday, November 29, 2025, the Senior Associate at Edfields Attorneys said the Lumba marriage dispute underscores the importance of careful planning and documentation during one’s lifetime.
Lawyer Mankotam explained that after death, relatives often determine what happens to a deceased person’s body, estate, and marital matters, leaving little room for the individual’s wishes to be followed.
“Once you are alive, all the things that are necessary, all the things that are important, you should be able to do them before you pass away, because you don’t even know when you will die,” he said.
READ: Odo Broni was not a ‘side chick’, married Daddy Lumba under customary law – Lawyer Mankotam
He stressed that deliberate and intentional arrangements, especially regarding marriages and estate planning, are essential to prevent disputes and ensure personal wishes are respected.
Background
The advice comes in the wake of the High Court in Kumasi ruling on November 28, 2025 that both Akosua Serwaa Fosu and Priscilla Ofori Atta, popularly known as Odo Broni, are lawful wives of the late highlife musician Daddy Lumba, legally known as Charles Kwadwo Fosu.
Following Daddy Lumba’s death on July 26, 2025, a legal dispute arose after Serwaa sought recognition as the sole surviving spouse, claiming a civil marriage in Germany in 2004 superseded other marital claims. The court, presided over by Justice Dorinda Smith-Arthur, dismissed her request, citing failure to produce an original or certified copy of the marriage certificate. The defence argued that Odo Broni had contracted a valid customary marriage and lived with the late musician for more than 15 years, while Serwaa’s customary marriage had allegedly been dissolved.
READ: Serwah Fosuh, Odo Broni are both lawful wives of Daddy Lumba – Court declares
The court’s ruling allows both women to participate in funeral rites and estate matters, highlighting the consequences of inadequate planning and documentation during a person’s lifetime.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
