Nollywood is in mourning following the tragic loss of actor Pope Odonwodo, widely known as Junior Pope.
The heartbreaking news was announced on Wednesday, April 10, by filmmaker Samuel Olatunji. According to Olatunji, Junior Pope, along with three other actors, lost their lives in a boating accident when their boat capsized in the Anam River while they were on their way to a filming location.
Expressing his sorrow 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 as of now.
Junior Pope, survived by his wife and three children, had shared a video on his Instagram page earlier on Wednesday, showing him on a boat without a life jacket. In the video, he urged the boat captain to proceed cautiously, 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 renowned 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 sudden passing has created a void in the Nigerian film industry, and he will be deeply missed by fans and colleagues alike.
