Geoffrey
Lutaaya is a Ugandan businessman, musician, Founder of DE New Eagles Band Group,
politician, father and husband. Lutaaya has currently found interest in
politics and waiting to contest in the 2021 General Elections as a Member of
Parliament for Kakuuto County in Rakai District, in southwestern central Uganda.
His active performance in
music has yielded him a lot making him one of the pronounced wealthy artistes.
Geoffrey is a mellow voiced Afro-pop, recording and performing artist.
Geoffrey Lutaaya
– Early Life and Education
Geoffrey Lutaaya was born to his late father Nelson Kaboggoza, who
died at 92 in 2016 after
battling with cancer and high blood pressure and late mother who died in 2019
after suffering a disease for four years from their home in Mitti Ebiri Kakuuto
– Rakai District where the singer grew from.
Lutaaya attended Mitti Ebiri Primary School Kyotera and later crossed to Mbuye Primary School in Rakai to
complete his primary seven. He then joined Kololo High School in the early
1990s; unfortunately, he didn’t sit for his O’Level final examinations because
music had taken over.
In 2018, the singer went back to re-sit his
O’Level to improve on his qualification at Makerere Day and Evening School for
Adults (MAECA) along Sir Apollo Kagwa Road in Kampala, the Capital City of
Uganda. At the Adult School, Lutaaya scored 62 aggregates and passed in
division four where he attained F9 in Geography, History and Commerce, Pass 8
in CRE, passed English and Luganda with credit 5, Biology credit 6.
In 2019, Geoffrey joined an institution which
is equivalent to A ‘Level but he declined the
results and the name of the institution up to date promising to make them
public when the Electoral Commission calls for them. He is yet to aspire for
the Parliamentary seat of Kakuuto County in Rakai District come to 2021 General Election.
Lutaaya – Music Career
Geoffrey Lutaaya started his music career when he was 20 years old in the early 1996s. Being very passionate and determined
about music, this mellow-voiced singer passed through the hands of different
people who supported him both mentally and financially to make his dream come
true.
These individuals included Moses Nsubuga who
after discovering the talent took him to Alex Ngabaye, by then had a recording
studio called Unique Studios.
From Alex Ngabaye,
talented Lutaaya went to a man identified as Ssengo where he met Lady Ttitie
and Prossy Kankunda who were all in Ssengo’s Band. The two backed him up as he
recorded his first song. As a musical family, Geoffrey succeeded his elder
brother Frank Ssonko who was once a guitarist in The Ebonies but he later
dropped the career on his father’s commands.
Because his father disagreed with his music
career, Lutaaya decided to vacate his father’s house and started up his new
life in his brother’s rental along Busabala road. After the decision, late
Nelson Kaboggoza, his father chased him from his shop business because his
actions had proven that he was grown to take care of himself but he later
failed to pay rent and went back to the father’s shop.
Still, in 1997, Lutaaya
met Jackson Sseruga who took him to record an advert of Solar Energy and it was
sponsored by Colonel Kayanja to be played on Radio Uganda. He was paid One
hundred Eighty thousand shillings only (180,000/=) after recording the advert
with Winnie Muyenga.
After recording his first
album, he joined Bakayimbira Dramactors in 1997 where he met Mesach Ssemakula, Ronald Mayinja and they
started up The Gebros Band (Geoffrey Brothers and Sisters Band). He then met
Mulindwa Muwonge who worked with CBS Radio, took his music tape and started
playing his songs on air.
Furthermore, the three brothers (Geoffrey
Lutaaya, Mesach Ssemakula and Ronald Mayinja) went to Bat Valley Theatre in
Kampala City where they connected with Mariam Ndagire and Kato Lubwama.
This is where he first met
Irene Namatovu, who was a dancer in Kato Lubwama’s Band. Gradually
growing his music career, Kato Lubwama advised him to change from Gebros Band
to Diamond Production.
From then on, Lutaaya’s music career developed and
he started earning in millions from various people who continued buying his
songs from the first album he had recorded. The money he got prompted him to
buy his first car which was a Taxi.
Kato Lubwama asked them to
write an application for the job in the same band he had started but he refused
and so, Geoffrey was dismissed from the band. He then decided to sell off his
Taxi so that to buy new musical instrumentals for the new band they had started
up called Eagles Production, a name suggested by Ronald Mayinja and Mesach
Ssemakula.
Geoffrey Lutaaya was the
Managing Director, Mesach Ssemakula, Ronald Mayinja and Fred Mayiso were
Directors. Since there was a need for more managerial skills and connections,
Musa Kavuma became the new Manager of Eagles Production Band.
Later on, in 2016, Lutaaya formed DE New Eagles Band where
he owns 80% and 20% with his
wife Irene Namatovu who after the rampant
misunderstandings which broke out in the Eagles Production Band particularly
based on non- observance of rules and personal gains made them denounce the
Group.
Despite Geoffrey Lutaaya
producing many Afro-pop songs, his first launched song was Nassanga on Nice and
Lovely Album at Hotel Africana in Kampala City of Uganda.
Awards
· Bell Pearl of Africa Music Awards.
Nominations
· 2018 HiPiPo Music Awards –
Best Band Song
· 2017 HiPiPo Music Awards – Best Music Group
· 2017 HiPiPo Music Awards – Music Icon of the Decade
· 2008 Bell PAM Awards – Best Artist of the Year
· 2008 Bell PAM Awards – Album of the Year
· 2008 Bell PAM Awards – Best Live Band Single
