According to new discoveries, Nollywood actor John Paul Odonwodo, commonly known as Junior Pope, did not have access to a life jacket, contradicting viral rumors that he had turned one down prior to the fatal boat tragedy on April 10 at the Anam River in Anambra State that killed him and four others.
Prince Uvo Kevin Oghogho, Chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) committee charged with investigating the incident, denied that the boat operators offered the late actor a life jacket.
“No life jacket was provided to the late actor,” Oghogho added. He noticed that just two people, the Director of Photography and the Sound Engineer, were wearing life jackets that they had rented from the boat operators.
“When the disaster occurred, the operators rapidly deployed fresh life jackets. “They had not previously made life jackets available to passengers,” he explained.
Oghogho, who also serves as the AGN National Taskforce Chairman, revealed the information in 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 issued three months after the disaster.
Oghogho described the circumstances that led up to the disaster, saying, “
“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 refuted reports that Jnr. Pope was killed and thrown into the river, claiming that another victim, not Jnr. Pope, bled from his nose.
The marine police doctor who found Jnr Pope’s and Friday’s bodies performed CPR and confirmed their deaths before transporting them to the Asaba morgue.
Oghogho’s committee recommended that the Ministry of Transportation or Inland Waterways require 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.
