Nigerian iconic actor Junior Pope met his untimely death after he was returning from a movie cast on the river Niger.
The news of his demise first popped up on social media Wednesday, April 10, 2024, but was treated as speculations, saying he survived instead. A lot of netizens got excited when the news of his survival was heard.
But on Thursday, March 11, 2024, the story was different a confirmed source said the actor died when the local boat he and a couple of colleagues on board across the river Niger capsized.
In a circulating Instagram post before his death, he was seen on a boat lamenting to the captain of the boat to reduce the speed they were traveling with because he has three children to raise should any unfortunate happen.
“I was born alone, I have three children I`m to raise, Jesus what`s this”. The actor said.
Born Pope Obumneme Odonwodo, alias Junior Pope, on May 7, 1984, in Cameroon at Bamenda, his parents were Mr. and Mrs. Luke Odonwodo.
Junior Pope is a Nollywood actor, model, and philanthropist who hails from the Ukehe tribe of Enugu State in the southeastern part of Nigeria. But he grew up in Cameroon.
After completing both primary and secondary school in Cameroon he relocated to Nigeria.
He furthered his education at the University of Nigeria Nsukka Enugu State and graduated as an Accountant with a degree. In 2006, he joined Nollywood and acted in a lot of movies.
The iconic actor mostly plays the role of guard and servant. It was not surprising when he rose to fame in 2007 after acting in the blockbuster movie “Secret Adventures”.
This movie was directed by Tchidi Chikere, according to him, it was this award-winning movie that brought him to the limelight.
Among over 100 movies he acted in are, Secret Adventures, Mad Sex, Bitter Generation, Vengeance of Bullet, etc.
In 2010 Junior Pope won the award for Nollywood Most Promising Actor in Nigeria during the Entertainment Factory Awards.
Junior Pope left behind a wife and three children. He was 39.
