New findings show that Nollywood actor John Paul Odonwodo, also known as Junior Pope, did not have access to a life jacket, contradicting viral stories that he had turned one down prior to the tragic boat incident on April 10 at the Anam River in Anambra State, which killed him and four others.
Prince Uvo Kevin Oghogho, Chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) committee tasked with investigating the disaster, denied that the boat operators offered the late actor a life jacket.
“No life jacket was provided to the late actor,” Oghogho stated. He noted that only two passengers, the Director of Photography and the Sound Engineer, were wearing life jackets, which they had hired from the boat operators.
“When the accident occurred, the operators quickly brought out new life jackets. They had not been making life jackets available to passengers previously,” he said.
Oghogho, who also serves as the AGN National Taskforce Chairman, made the revelation during an interview with a Vanguard reporter shortly after presenting his committee’s findings to the guild’s National Executive Council in Lagos. The report was released three months after the disaster.
Oghogho detailed the events preceding up to the tragedy, stating, “The outboard engine fibre boat conveying the cast and crew of the movie, produced by Adamma Luke departed Asaba jetty with Ononno jetty as destination. As they embarked on the journey, at about 12.30 pm, according to the survivors, Jnr Pope was making a video, while his colleagues on board were catching fun with him.
“The boat driver’s attention was drawn to the scene, as he was looking back to catch a glimpse of the action, while he was at high speed. He eventually crashed into a crossing local fishing canoe, leading to the speed boat capsizing and emptying all the occupants into the Anam river. Five passengers died on the spot, while seven were rescued alive,” Oghogho recounted.
Oghogho debunked claims that Jnr Pope was killed and thrown into the river, stating that another victim, not simply Jnr Pope, bled from the nose.
He stated that the doctor assigned to the marine police, who recovered Jnr Pope’s body and that of another victim named Friday, did CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on-site and confirmed their deaths before taking their remains to the Asaba morgue.
Oghogho’s committee advised that the Ministry of Transportation or Inland Waterways compel the provision of life jackets for all passengers before they board water transport.
“There’s also a need to educate our colleagues on safety measures because we tend to take risks,” she said.
Recall that Nollywood star Junior Pope’s funeral was place in his hometown of Ukehe, Nsukka, Igboetiti Local Government Area, Enugu State.
