Entertainment
AGN Confirms Junior Pope Is Dead, Issues Fresh Order To Nollywood Filmmakers
Emeka Rollas, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has officially verified the passing of Nollywood actor, John Paul Odonwodo, famously referred to as Junior Pope.
Furthermore, the Guild has proclaimed Thursday, April 11, as a designated “No Shoot Day” for all Nollywood filmmakers.
This decision has been made to pay tribute to Pope, who tragically lost his life alongside three crew members in a boat accident on Anam River in Anambra on Wednesday.
Nation Post reported earlier that the actor died while returning from a movie shoot. Pope and the others were said to have encountered a mishap that led to their unfortunate plunge into the Anam River in Anambra on Wednesday.
Rollas, who first denied that Pope was dead, took to his Instagram page the following day (today) to correct his earlier information.
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”.
On the suspension of the film shoots, Rollas said in a statement: “Following the tragic incident of a boat mishap that claimed the life of Junior Pope and three other crew members at the waterside of River Niger Cable point Asaba on 10th of April, all films that involve riverine areas and boat riding is hereby suspended indefinitely.
“No Shoot on all locations nationwide on Thursday, 11th April 2024 and the film titled “The Other Side of Life” is suspended indefinitely.
“Also, no actor is allowed to work with Adamma Luke as a producer till further notice, while we keep searching for the bodies of the remaining persons.
“May their souls rest in peace.”
