Renowned Nollywood actor Pope Obumneme Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope, tragically drowned during a movie shoot on Wednesday. The actor, along with three of his colleagues, lost their lives when their boat capsized on the Anam River in Anambra State while returning from a film location.

The news was confirmed by the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, on Thursday, who also stated that three other corpses have yet to be found. Following the incident, the Actors Guild of Nigeria declared April 11 a ‘No shooting day’ in honor of the deceased. The guild also banned shooting in riverine areas and boat riding, and placed an indefinite ban on actors participating in movies produced by Adanma Luke, the producer of the ill-fated movie “The Other Side Of Life.”

Famous Nollywood actress Ini Edo took to Instagram to express her condolences and frustration, stating, “Junior Pope did not have to sacrifice his life for Nollywood to realize the need for a long and much-needed regulatory structure that would safeguard an entire production.”

Junior Pope was born on May 7, 1984, in Cameroon but hailed from Ukehe in Enugu State. He graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State with a degree in accounting. Pope was known for playing complex roles such as criminals, villains, armed robbers, and hitmen. In 2014, he married his wife, Jennifer Awele, and they have three children.

His acting career began in 2006, and he starred in over 150 Nollywood movies, including notable films such as “Bachelor Eve,” “Vengeance of Bullet,” “Bitter Generation,” “The Generals,” “Wrong Initiation,” “The Cat,” “Nkwocha,” and “Secret Adventure.” The loss of Junior Pope is a significant blow to the Nollywood industry and the entertainment community.