Junior Pope Explained

Junior Pope
Birth Name:John Paul Obumneme Odonwodo
Birth Date:7 May 1981
Birth Place:Bamenda, Cameroon
Death Place:Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
Alma Mater:University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Years Active:20062024
Children:3

John Paul Obumneme Odonwodo (May 7, 1981 – April 10, 2024), popularly known as Junior Pope, was a Nigerian actor and film producer who appeared in various Nollywood films, including Secret Adventures (2007), Bitter Generation (2010), and .

Early life and education

Odonwodo was born on May 7, 1981, in Bamenda, Cameroon, to Luke Odonwodo, a man of Igbo descent, and his wife.[1] [2] [3] He later relocated to Nigeria, where he completed his primary and secondary education.[4]

Career

After studying accounting, Odonwodo initially pursued a career in accounting but later turned to acting in 2004, starting with minor roles.[5] [6] He made his debut in the 2004 film Lost in the Jungle, playing a minor part. Pope officially joined Nollywood in 2006 and began acting in 2007, with his first major film being Secret Adventure, directed by Tchidi Chikere.[7] Since then, Pope has appeared in over 100 Nigerian films, including Throne of Tears (2008), Always Mine (2009), Mad Sex, Blood Affair (2021), No Way Through (2023), Gbege (2022), and Honey Money (2023), among others.[8] [9] [10]

Personal life and death

Odonwodo was a Christian and married Jennifer Awele Okpuno on July 26, 2014. They had three children together.[11] Pope died in a boat accident on the River Niger in Anambra State while traveling to Asaba, Nigeria, to shoot a movie. Three crew members also lost their lives in the incident. Initially, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) declared him alive after videos circulated online showing him on the boat and villagers attempting to revive him.[12] However, he was later officially announced dead.[13] [14] [15] [16]

Junior Pope was widely praised for his exceptional acting talent, with tributes describing him as "one of the most talented actors in Nigeria."[17] Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State also paid tribute, calling his death "heart-wrenching and unfortunate" and acknowledging him as one of Enugu's talented sons.[18]

Junior Pope was laid to rest on Friday, May 17, 2024, in his hometown of Ukehe in the Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria.[19]

Junior Pope was remembered for his immense humanitarian contribution to the Nigerian film industry and was also considered as "one of Nigeria's richest and most influential actors".[20]

Legacy

Described in a BBC report as "an unexpected legacy" for Junior Pope, his drowning issue continues to be seen as having a propensity for transforming "Nollywood into a safer place to work".[21] His avoidable death still haunts the Nigerian film industry today, with concerns raised about the safety of film crew members in the face of Nollywood's unsafe working conditions, especially by Ruth Kadiri who also called for a change of practice.

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UPDATED: Junior Pope, three other Nollywood actors die in boat accident at age 39.. Okiki. Adeduyite. 10 April 2024. 11 April 2024. The Punch. en-GB.
  2. Web site: 10 things to know about Nollywood actor, Junior Pope. Rachael. Omidiji. 11 April 2024. 11 April 2024. Nigerian Tribune. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Actor Jnr Pope who reportedly drowned resuscitated. Friday. Omasala. 10 April 2024. 11 April 2024. Premium Times. en-GB.
  4. Web site: Biography of Nollywood actor Junior Pope and other facts about him. Mercy. Olatunji. 23 December 2020. 11 April 2024. DNB Africa. en-GB.
  5. Web site: The many evils of nollywood – Junior Pope Odonwodo, actor. 23 February 2018. The Sun. en-US. 11 April 2024.
  6. Web site: "There's a Legend Behind Every Legacy": Jnr Pope career start. Chinasa. Afigbo. 13 July 2023. Legit.ng. en-US. 11 April 2024.
  7. Web site: Confidence. Cletus. 10 April 2024. Nigeria: How Secret Adventure Made Me a Superstar - Junior Pope. 11 April 2024. allAfrica.com. en.
  8. Web site: Junior Pope: 10 things to know about late actor. Sunny. Itodo. 11 April 2024. Daily Post Nigeria. en-US. 11 April 2020.
  9. Web site: 14 September 2022 . Lancelot Imaseun's comeback film 'Gbege' premieres Oct 7 - starring Broda Shaggi, Ini Edo, Sam Dede and Junior Pope . 11 April 2024. TheCable Lifestyle . en-US.
  10. Web site: Honey Money to Debut in Cinemas. 11 April 2024. This Day Live. en-US.
  11. Web site: April 10, 2024 . Everything about Nollywood actor, Junior Pope who died in boat accident while filming . Vanguard News.
  12. Web site: Actor Jnr Pope drowns hours after he posted video on a boat. Nurudeen. Shotayo. 10 April 2024. Pulse Nigeria. en-US. 11 April 2024.
  13. Web site: AGN makes U-turn, says actor Junior Pope unresponsive, three others missing. 11 April 2024. Vanguard News. en-US. 11 April 2024.
  14. Web site: Junior Pope's Death: 'This Is Spiritual,' Eyewitness' Account on Boat Accident. Olumide. Alake. 11 April 2024. Legit.ng. en-US. 11 April 2024.
  15. Web site: Nollywood Actor Junior Pope Dies In Boat Accident. EwaOluwa. Ogunbodede. 10 April 2024. 10 April 2024. Channels TV. en-GB.
  16. News: Orimemi . Victor . 11 April 2024 . OBITUARY: Junior Pope, the Cameroon-born actor who met untimely end on way to movie set . 13 April 2024 . Thecable.
  17. Web site: Junior Pope: Isaiah Egedegbe Celebrates His 40th Posthumous Birthday and Eulogises Him. Ogedegbe. Isaiah. 7 May 2024. 8 May 2024. NGGOSSIPS.com.
  18. Web site: Junior Pope: Enugu has lost one of its talented sons, says Governor Mbah. Premium Times. 2024-05-19. 2024-04-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20240416153347/https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/685823-junior-pope-enugu-has-lost-one-of-its-talented-sons-says-governor-mbah.html. dead.
  19. Web site: May 17, 2024 . Jnr Pope buried in Enugu. Friday. Omosola. Premium Times=access-date=May 31, 2024.
  20. Web site: Junior Pope Odonwodo Biography, Early Life, Education, Career, Family, Wife, Children, Personal Life, Social Media, Awards, Net Worth, Philanthropy And Influence. LabaranYau.com. 2024-06-01. 2024-05-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20240510050723/https://labaranyau.com/junior-pope-odonwodo-biography-early-life-education-career-family-wife-children-personal-life-social-media-awards-net-worth-philanthropy-and-influence/. dead.
  21. Web site: Nigerian star's drowning forces Nollywood to look at safety. Gelbart. Hannah. BBC. 2024-06-13. 2024-06-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20240612071404/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crgg247rggdo. dead.

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