Ghanaians only celebrate people after their death – Ofori Amponsah

Ghanaian highlife musician Ofori Amponsah has criticised what he describes as a culture in Ghana where people are often celebrated and appreciated only after they have died.

Speaking on UTV’s United Showbiz on August 9, 2026, the musician said Ghanaians frequently fail to recognise the contributions of individuals while they are alive, only to honour them after their death.

According to Ofori Amponsah, the trend is particularly evident in Ghana’s creative industry, where musicians, actors and other personalities sometimes receive greater recognition after their passing than they did during their active years.

“Ghanaians don’t normally celebrate people; what we celebrate is death. When you’re alive, you will never be celebrated until you die,” he said.

Touching on discussions about a possible museum in honour of the late highlife legend Daddy Lumba, Ofori Amponsah said he does not support the idea of government taking responsibility for constructing such a facility.

He argued that the family of the late musician should be capable of establishing a museum to preserve his legacy.

“I don’t agree with the government building a museum; I believe the family can do that. If we should build Daddy Lumba’s museum, it’s the foreigners who will come and watch,” he stated.

Ofori Amponsah instead called for greater attention to be placed on supporting and appreciating talented people while they are still alive.

He believes the failure to adequately celebrate people during their lifetime may also be contributing to some of the challenges facing Ghana.

“We didn’t learn anything from someone when he’s alive, but we’re honouring him when he dies. That’s why there’s a lot of corruption in this country,” he said.

The highlife musician further explained that the absence of recognition during people’s lifetime could push some individuals to pursue wealth and success by any means necessary.

He suggested that some people may become desperate to create a legacy because they believe society only celebrates those who achieve significant success.

“People know that if they don’t push and leave a legacy, they won’t be celebrated; that’s why everyone is trying hard to achieve something even if it’s illegal,” he added.

Ofori Amponsah also shared personal experiences from his association with Daddy Lumba, recalling a performance they had together at the Polo Theatre.

He said he was surprised by the large turnout, particularly the number of foreigners who attended the event specifically to see the legendary Ghanaian musician.

He also recalled seeing American musicians who had travelled or made arrangements to meet Daddy Lumba.

“Daddy Lumba and I went to Polo Theatre to play a show, and if you see the foreigners and the people who showed up just to see Daddy Lumba, and the American musicians who were calling to meet up with him, you won’t believe it,” he recalled.

Ofori Amponsah further revealed that he once travelled to the United States with Daddy Lumba for about three to four weeks, during which the late musician received considerable admiration and special treatment from people who valued his work.

He said they booked about four rooms during the trip, with one room costing approximately US$1,000 per day. According to him, someone eventually paid the bill because of the respect and admiration surrounding Daddy Lumba.

“I went to America with him for three to four weeks. We booked like four rooms and one room cost about $1,000 a day. The bill was paid by someone because of him,” he disclosed.

Ofori Amponsah stressed that Ghana should not allow Daddy Lumba’s contribution to the music industry to be forgotten.

He urged stakeholders to take steps to preserve the late musician’s legacy and ensure that his music and influence continue to inspire future generations.

“This country is not supposed to forget him, and I’m so grateful that I was so close to him. We don’t have to let his talent and the music die,” Ofori Amponsah added.