Geoffrey Lutaaya
Monday was a day of grief for prominent local band musician Geoffrey Lutaaya, of Da New Eagles Band as his father Nelson Kaboggoza who breathed his last on Christmas Eve was laid to rest at his home village in Mityebiri – Kyotera, Rakai District.
However, in the afternoon, a moment of sorrow turned into drama when the Wanaaba Olweza hit singer chased away his fellow artistes from the burial of his late dad, complaining about their hatred towards him. Lutaaya said they had previously talked ill of him and that some of them practice acts of witchcraft to fail him.
Members of the Golden Band including Ronald Mayinja, Grace Ssekamatte, Michael Kinene, Mesach Ssemakula, Catherine Kusaasira, the group’s manager Musa Kavuma, Cream Production’s Harunah Mubiru and Baby Rich were called by Mr Guster Lule Ntakke the MC, to escort Geoffrey Lutaaya (as their friend and a colleague) to lay a wreath on the casket.
As soon as a few musicians (from Golden band) arrived led by Catherine Kusaasira, Lutaaya walked passed them and got the wreath and microphone from Ntakke and while crying loudly said: “They pretend to be my friends yet they are the ones who have been fighting me always. They shouldn’t have come here.” He later threw with force the wreath onto the casket as he continued crying and cursing his fellow musicians.
Geoffrey Lutaaya did not even receive the Golden Band’s condolence money worth Shs700,000. However, many mourners criticised this act saying, it is wrong to behave like he did in public even if he was angry.
“Anyone can get annoyed but what matters is to know how to control anger in public especially in such a trying moment,” Henry Paul Kinaalwa, a radio presenter at one of the local radio stations in southern Buganda region said.
The rift between the musicians happened when the music group called Eagles Production split into two groups; Da New Eagles Band owned by Geoffrey Lutaaya and his wife Irene Namatovu; and the Golden Production that accommodates some of the musicians who were chased away at the burial of the late Kaboggoza.
During the service at the burial, the West Buganda Diocese Bishop Henry Katumba Tamale asked Christians to leave a legacy in their respective communities before the Lord calls them to eternal life. He commended the deceased for the good behaviour during his lifetime and urged people to copy his lifestyle.