Junior Pope, the Cameroon-born actor who met an untimely end in a boat mishap

APRIL 11, 2024 4:00 PM
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On Wednesday, the Nollywood luminous industry dimmed a shade darker with the heartbreaking news of the death of Junior Pope, born Pope Odonwodo. The industry mourned the charismatic talent who could ignite a scene with his mere presence. More than just an actor, Pope was a father, a husband, and a filmmaker who poured his heart into every role he played.

Pope died alongside three crew members after their boat capsized in the River Niger in Asaba, Delta state on their way to a movie location. Initially, a glimmer of hope flickered when the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) reported signs of life. However, the hope was tragically extinguished hours later after the guild confirmed Pope’s passing, stating that efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Shortly before the boat mishap, Pope, who appeared scared of the river, shared a video of himself offering prayers for a safe journey while heading 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 ??” the actor captioned the Instagram post