Junior Pope: Accident or Negligence?

The Nigerian movie industry was thrown into mourning on April 10, 2024, following the tragic death of famous actor Obumneme Odonwodo, also known as Junior Pope and four others in a boat mishap on the River Niger in Enugu State while returning from a shoot.

Junior Pope, born on May 7, 1984, in Bamenda, Cameron, to an Igbo father and a Cameronian mother, was a Nigerian actor and film producer. Though an only child, he relocated to Nigeria to obtain primary and secondary education.

After completing his studies in Accounting at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he wanted to become an accountant. However, he found himself in the movie industry; he began his acting career in 2004, appearing in lesser roles.

In 2007, he was featured in films like Secret Adventures and Bitter Generation 2010, which ushered him into the spotlight. From then on, he was featured in several films until his death.

Some of the films he was featured in include Throne of Tears (2008), Always Mine (2009), Mad Sex, Blood Affair (2021), Gbege (2022), No Way Through (2023), Gbege (2022), and Honey Money (2023) among others. He was returning from the shoot for “The Other Side of Life,” produced by Adanma Luke, when he met his untimely death.

Before his demise, Junior Pope had maintained onscreen and offscreen chemistry, which was widely praised by many. His passing has raised criticisms of production regulations and the safety of actors and crew members while shooting.

Following the death of the actor and four others after their boat capsized on the Anam River in Anambra State while returning from the location of Adanma’s movie, ‘The Other Side of Life,’ many believed the tragic event was an avoidable and careless act on the part of the producer.

She has been described as “careless” for not providing life jackets for her cast and crew, while some have blamed it on the government’s negligence and lack of regulations within the water travel sector.

The Nigerian Human Rights Community, NHRC, has said the government should be held responsible for the death of the actor and other crew members. The rights group said the lack of government responsibility was the cause of the accident.

Taiwo Adeleye, a coalition official, said it was wrong for the Anambra State Government to allow boats to operate without life jackets.

“The Actor was killed by the system we operate. There was no reason why the governments at the state and federal levels should not insist on the use of life jackets. What has happened reflects the lack of respect for human lives across Nigeria, both at state and Federal levels”, Adeleye said

He added that apart from the lack of life jackets, the absence of immediate medical care also added to their death.

Meanwhile, the Actors Guild of Nigeria has suspended Adanma and the production process of “The Other Side of Life,” the film Junior Pope was working on. The announcement was made following the boat mishap on the Anam River in Anambra State.

Emeka Rollas, the AGN National President, declared a nationwide suspension of filming activities, particularly those involving riverine areas and boat riding.

“All films that involve riverine areas and boat riding are hereby suspended indefinitely. The film “Another Side of Life” is suspended indefinitely. Until further notice, no actor is allowed to work with Adanma Luke as a producer.

“While we keep searching for the bodies of the remaining persons, may their souls rest in peace,” the statement said.

Also, veteran actress Hilda Dakubo has buttressed the negligence in the movie industry. While sending her condolences to the Nollywood family, she said the deaths were avoidable because all the crew members needed to fight for their lives were life jackets.

She said wearing seatbelts in cars, aeroplanes, and life jackets is a law requirement when boarding a boat.

She said the producer should have arranged life jackets for the crew. “As a producer who is expected to be prepared, you should have made arrangements for life jackets, just in case the boat driver didn’t have them, you would dress your people up. Because by law and practice, you wear your life jacket.”

She encouraged actors to reject any role that put them in danger because life is priceless, and the life of an actor is “nothing to an inept producer.” She also called on producers to make necessary arrangements before moving people to set, and they are required to shoot in locations that are safe, secured, and free of intimidation.

“You need to be prepared, or don’t start. You don’t go to locations without being prepared; you waste people’s time, and that is why we have all these kinds of unnecessary deaths,” she added.

The AGN has said it will take legal action against the Association of Movie Producers and the Adanma Luke Production. The association’s chairman disclosed this during an interview with Arise TV.

“Our lawyers are already preparing documents because this matter is actionable. I’m only waiting for the committee we have set up to give me the report on everything that happened.

“I also learnt that not only the day that Junior Pope died, but they also went on the water the previous day without life jackets. So, as soon as I get the report, the association of movie producers and Adanma Luke production will hear from our lawyers,” he said.

While producers are responsible for implementing safety measures for cast and crew during production, the government must also set regulations to guide every profession.

The accident and subsequent deaths were genuinely avoidable. May their souls rest in peace.