Let Lumba’s legacy inspire a highlife tourism agenda
T’S been exactly one week since the devastating news of Charles Kwadwo Fosu’s death – Daddy Lumba, the legend, the enigma, the voice of generations.
The nation has been draped in sorrow ever since, united in mourning, with tributes pouring in from across the globe.
And as Ghanaians gather this evening at the Independence Square for the one-week vigil in celebration of the legend, one question lingers in my mind: will this moment spark a serious national conversation about music, especially highlife, and its role in our tourism development?
It should
On a recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, attending the maiden World Music and Tourism Festival – an initiative of the Congolese government in partnership with UN Tourism, I found myself on a cruise along the mighty River Congo.
That morning, I was introduced to a gentleman who, I was told, was president of the Congolese Rumba Association or something of the sort.
When he found out I was from Ghana, his face lit up: “Highlife! That is the foundation,” he said with pride, explaining how Ghanaian highlife had profoundly influenced Congolese music, especially Rumba.
It was a proud moment. Standing with Augusto, a music professor from Argentina; Andre, a rights advocate from South Africa; Pablo, a DJ and music marketer from Mexico; and Symphorien, an Ivorian tourism expert based in France – I had spent the past few days passionately talking about Ghana, highlife and the cultural power we do not seem to fully harness.
And here was validation: a Congolese music elder acknowledging highlife’s role in shaping African soundscapes.
Highlife was born in Ghana. That’s a historical fact. From the early ballroom-style bands of the coastal cities to the soulful guitar-led rhythms of the hinterlands, highlife is the very heartbeat of Ghanaian musical heritage. From E.T. Mensah to Nana Ampadu, from Akwasi Ampofo Adjei to Amakye Dede and the late Daddy Lumba – it is the music that tells our stories, reflects our hopes and defines our cultural identity.
But here’s the hard truth: Ghana has failed to market highlife as a tourism asset.
How many people have ever visited Ghana specifically because of highlife music?
Where is the Highlife Trail that connects the homes, studios or performance stages of our musical greats – akin to the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica or the Kalakuta Museum at Fela’s old home in Lagos?
Why don’t we have guided tours that take visitors to the hometowns or rehearsal spaces of icons like Nana Ampadu, Ampofo Adjei, Agya Koo Nimo, Paapa Yankson, Kojo Antwi or Daddy Lumba?
I recall visiting the home of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig during a tour of Germany in 2019. It was a key stop for international visitors, drawing music lovers and cultural tourists alike.
In other countries, music is not just something to listen to – it is something to travel for.
The Jamaicans and their fellow Caribbeans have mastered this, turning music into pilgrimage and commerce. Ghana, for some reason, is yet to catch on.
Now, with Daddy Lumba’s passing, we have an opportunity to change that narrative.
His death should not just be another sad moment of national grief. It should be a wake-up call – a rallying point for policymakers, music industry players, creatives and tourism authorities to come together and build a sustainable blueprint for highlife-based tourism.
The idea is not new, but perhaps now it will finally be taken seriously.
Imagine this
A tourist books a “Highlife in Ghana” experience – a 7-day itinerary that includes visits to the homes or hometowns of highlife greats like E.T. Mensah (James Town), Nana Ampadu (Obo Kwahu), Daddy Lumba (Nsuta), Amakye Dede (Agogo), Jewel Ackah and AB Crentsil (Tema), and more. The package includes highlife-themed nights in Accra and Kumasi, walking tours of music landmarks, museum visits, archival exhibitions, and even a masterclass with a living legend like Agya Koo Nimo. Such an experience would not only honour these icons but would also generate sustainable tourism revenue and jobs.
Three clear benefits emerge
* Cultural Preservation through Tourism
These initiatives would preserve and elevate the legacy of highlife pioneers. It ensures their stories are told beyond their music and made accessible to future generations, while generating income for families and communities.
• Diversified Tourism Offering
Ghana’s tourism is still heavily reliant on heritage (castles, slave routes) and nature (parks, waterfalls, lakes). Highlife-based tourism would diversify the offering, injecting cultural depth and contemporary relevance.
•Boost to the creative economy
A thriving highlife tourism circuit would create jobs and stimulate value chains, benefiting musicians, event organisers, tour operators, hotel owners, transport services, local guides and even artisans selling music-themed souvenirs.
Moreover, such tourism products can be tied to annual events.
What if we institutionalised a Highlife Heritage Month in September, capped off with a major festival celebrating the genre and its legends?
Or developed a Daddy Lumba Day as a celebration of not only his works but Ghana’s rich musical identity?
We often say Ghana is the gateway to Africa. But for cultural tourists, especially music lovers, Ghana can also be the soul of Africa. And highlife is its rhythm.
As we honour Daddy Lumba this week and weeks ahead, leading up to his funeral, let us not only remember the man and his music.
Let us begin to dream – and act – on the future we can build because of him and all the music greats before and after him.
A future where music is not just entertainment, but a driver of national identity, tourism strategy and economic development.
Ghana gave the world highlife. It’s time we gave the world a reason to come back home, for highlife.
