The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has officially confirmed the passing of Nollywood actor John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope.
On Wednesday, the actor, along with three others, tragically passed away after their boat capsized in the Anam River in Anambra State at a film location.
National President of AGN, Emeka Rollas confirmed the actor’s death on Thursday after initially claiming on Wednesday that he survived the accident.
He said it was initially believed Junior Pope survived the accident when slight movements of his fingers were noticed on Wednesday.
Rollas took to his instagram page to disclose the sad development as he wrote, “It is so so sad that our joy was shortlived.My first post was out of excitement when we noticed his tingling fingers. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail.
“God knows the best. We finally lost him,
Mr Friday’s corpse has been identified but three other corpses are yet to be found.”
Meanwhile, in a video shared by the actor hours before he succumbed to death, he was seen on a boat speaking to the captain, asking him to slow down.
The video was posted on his Instagram page with the caption: “See me lamenting……The risk we take to entertain you; crossing River Niger yesterday with no life jacket…… Na wahoooooo…Who does that ??”
In the video, the actor is seen cheekily noting to the captain that he was an only child who is also a father who has kids to raise.
“I got three children, who will raise them? I beg, Oh Jesus, what is this? Don’t speed. See the risk we take to entertain you. Live and direct on River Niger.
“I am begging the captain that I’m the only child and I have three boys, I will raise them. Calm down with the speed,” he said jokingly.
Junior Pope began his acting career in 2006 and has acted in more than 150 Nollywood movies including ‘Bachelor Eve’, ‘Vengeance of Bullet’, ‘Bitter Generation’, ‘The Generals’, ‘Wrong Initiation’, ‘The Cat’, ‘Nkwocha’, ‘Secret Adventure’, among others.
He tied the knot with his wife, Jennifer Awele in 2014 and their marriage is blessed with three children.
