Malik Basintale pens emotional tribute to Late Daddy Lumba

The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has shared a deeply personal and emotional tribute in memory of the legendary highlife musician, Charles Kwadwo Fosu, popularly known as Daddy Lumba.

The message, he wrote on his Facebook wall has touched the hearts of many readers, followers and admirers.

Recounting a cherished childhood memory from 2007 in Tamale, Basintale narrated how a chance encounter with Daddy Lumba left a lasting impression on his young mind.

At the time, he had attended an NPP rally at the then "Police Park" in Tamale — not for political reasons, but to catch a glimpse of the Police dispatch riders who had escorted then-President John Agyekum Kufuor to the venue.

While admiring one of the bikes parked close to a campaign bus, a young Malik was unexpectedly tapped from behind — and to his surprise, it was Daddy Lumba himself.

Seated in the bus with his crew, Lumba struck up a conversation with the boy, asking for his name and dreams.

Upon hearing Malik's aspiration to become a police dispatch rider someday, the music icon offered words of encouragement: "Stay focused, learn hard and you shall become."

Malik and Daddy Lumba exchanged contacts and maintained communication until around 2012, when they lost touch.

Now, years later, and following the legendary musician’s passing, Basintale visited the Lumba family home to pay his respects — still a rider, not as the presidential dispatch officer he once dreamed of, but riding with passion and a story worth telling.

"I rode hoping to get an opportunity of telling Daddy Lumba that unfortunately I didn't become the Police dispatch I told him about, but I still ride with passion and with that untold story of my young dream," he wrote.

He ended his tribute with a solemn farewell:

"Sir, we shall remember your good deeds, your melodic music and your epic rise. Rest in peace, sir!"

Daddy Lumba’s death has sparked a wave of national mourning, with many across the country sharing fond memories and tributes to honour the legacy of one of Ghana’s greatest musical legends.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith