Tragedy Hits Nollywood Again As Actor Junior Pope Dies At 39

The Nigerian entertainment industry has again been thrown into mourning with the death of actor, Junior Pope Odonwodo.

The movie star drowned in Anam River, Anambra State while on his way to take part in a movie production.

He was 39-year-old.

LEADERSHIP learnt that three other yet-to-be-identified actors were involved in the incident.

Pope had earlier in the day shared a video of himself on Instagram on a boat on his way to the movie location.

“See me lamenting….The risk we take to entertain you; crossing river 9ja yesterday with no life jacket…. Na wahooooo, Who does that ??” Odonwodo had captioned in the post.

Reactions have already greeted the demise of the Nollywood actor from his colleagues.

Among them are Yvonne Jegede, Ruby Ojiakor, May Yul-Edochie, the estranged wife of actor Yul Edochie; Tana Egbo-Adelana, Calista Okoronkwo, and Chizoba Nwokoye.

“I can’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it. I refuse to believe it. Who will ask me ‘Who does that’ when next they see me?”, Yvonne wrote.

Pope was married to Jennifer Awele and the union is blessed with three children.

National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, confirmed to Channels Television that the remains of the actor have been deposited at the morgue.

Rollas also confirmed that three bodies of crew members are yet to be recovered in the boat which capsized after colliding with another boat around the River Niger area.