The tragic passing of Nigerian actor Pope Odonwodo, also known as Junior Pope, on his way to a movie set, continues to elicit sympathy from his friends, fans, and colleagues in the industry.
Shortly after news of his death spread, there was a glimmer of hope when it was reported that he had been revived after his body was being prepared for the morgue. However, this hope was short-lived as doctors later confirmed his demise.
Before his untimely death, Junior Pope had shared a video of his ill-fated boat trip while crossing the Anam River to the filming location in Asaba, Nigeria. Unfortunately, the boat capsized, resulting in the loss of Junior Pope’s life and three other actors.
In the video he posted on his Instagram page, Junior Pope can be seen on the boat without a life jacket. He can be heard pleading with the boat captain to proceed with caution, expressing his concern for his safety and the welfare of his children.
In the caption of the video, he wrote, “See me lamenting… The risk we take to entertain you; crossing river 9ja yesterday with no life jacket… Na wahoooooo… Who does that ??”
Junior Pope was known for his roles in various Nollywood films such as “Secret Adventures,” “Eye of the Eagle,” “Bitter Generation,” “Wrong Initiation,” and “Honey Money,” among others.
After receiving the tragic news, director Samuel Olatunji went on X to announce the passing of Pope. Olatunji revealed that Junior Pope and three fellow actors tragically perished in a boating incident, as their boat overturned in the Anam River while they were on their way to a film shoot.
Expressing his grief on Instagram, Olatunji wrote, “Four actors, including Jnr Pope, fell into Anam River on their way to a location, and their bodies have been recovered. What a sad day for Nollywood. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”
The identities of the other three actors involved in the accident have not been confirmed at the time of reporting.
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