The highly anticipated Daddy Lumba widowhood ruling was finally delivered at the Kumasi High Court today. Immediately, the judgment settled the intense legal tussle between Akosua Serwaa and Odo Broni. Specifically, the court determined that the late musician’s union with Akosua Serwaa was a customary marriage. Consequently, this specific legal status allows a man to marry more than one wife. Therefore, the judge dismissed the claim that Akosua Serwaa is the sole legitimate widow. Now, the ruling grants the family the power to decide who performs the widowhood rites. Critically, this verdict has ignited a massive conversation regarding marriage security in Ghana.
According to social commentator Adjoa Rasta, the decision clarifies a major legal misconception. Explicitly, she notes that customary law straightforwardly permits polygamy without argument. However, this freedom does not apply to a statutory or ordinance marriage. Crucially, once a man chooses the registry route, the law demands strict monogamy. Thus, the Daddy Lumba widowhood ruling serves as a stark warning for all women. In fact, wives in ordinance marriages must never treat their union as casually dissolved. Moreover, assuming a “mutual separation” exists without a proper court-ordered divorce is dangerous. Unfortunately, the future becomes complicated if couples do not follow legal steps clearly.
Meanwhile, the commentary highlights the emotional toll of these complex disputes. Often, women pour in their patience, sacrifices, and deepest endurance for years. Yet, life sometimes hands them an unpleasant return for their total loyalty. Understandably, this outcome feels unfair and confusing to the devoted partner. Nevertheless, Adjoa Rasta argues that every hard chapter reshapes us significantly. Ultimately, our worth remains bigger than what we have survived in these battles. Still, she warns that society must stop rewarding wrongdoing and ignoring the wounded. Otherwise, we risk creating a world where empathy disappears completely. Finally, the Daddy Lumba widowhood ruling challenges the societal wrongs we have adopted as the new order.
Source: Adjoa Rasta / Online Reports
