Nollywood is mourning the loss of one of its own as actor Pope Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope, has tragically passed away.
The devastating news was shared on Wednesday, April 10, by filmmaker Samuel Olatunji.
According to Olatunji, Junior Pope and three other actors lost their lives in a boating accident when their boat capsized in the Anam River while en route to a filming location.
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.
Junior Pope, survived by his wife and three children, had posted a video on his Instagram page earlier on Wednesday, showing him on a boat without a life jacket.
In the video, he pleaded with the boat captain to proceed slowly, expressing concern for his safety and the responsibility of caring for 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.
His untimely demise has left a void in the Nigerian film industry, and he will be deeply missed by fans and colleagues alike.
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