Nigeria is yet in again in mourning following the death of popular Nollywood actor Junior Pope (real name Pope Obumneme Odonwodo).
Pope was declared dead on Thursday morning following a boat accident on Wednesday, April 10.
He was among a group of four other actors whose boat capsized in River Anam as they returned from a shooting location.
Apparently, Junior Pope was rescued by divers and taken to the mortuary where they realized he was still alive and transferred to the hospital’s emergency department.
National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas confirmed he was still alive on Wednesday evening.
“What God cannot do does not exist. Junior Pope is alive. He is taking treatment in the hospital,” he wrote.
However, hours later, the 39-year-old actor is said to have succumbed, rendering their joy short lived.
“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,” Rollas confirmed on early Thursday morning.
At the time of his demise, Junior Pope was shooting a Nollywood film titled ‘The Other Side Of Life’.
Hours to the tragedy, the actor posted a video where he was heard telling the captain of the boat to slow down.
“See me lamenting……The risk we take to entertain you; crossing river 9ja yesterday with no life jacket…… Na wahoooooo …. Who does that ??
“I have 3 kids na me go raise them, Na only me my mama born oh… “Make una see di risk wey we dey take to entertain una. I dey River Niger, I dey beg di captain say I be di only pikin for my family and I get three pikin wey I go raise,” he captioned the video.
Born in Cameroon on May 7, 1984, Junior Pope relocated to Nigeria when he was still young.
He made his debut in the acting career in 2006.
Pope leaves behind wife Jennifer Awele and three sons.
Two popular Nigerian actors John Okafor alias Mr Ibu and Amaechi Muonagor recently died through illness.
