President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas has said Nollywood actor, Pope Odonwodo, popularly known as ‘Junior Pope’, is not dead but alive.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Rollas made this known on Wednesday via his official Instagram account following reports that Junior Pope died after a boat he was in capsized in Anambra State.
According to the AGN President, Pope is receiving treat at an undisclosed hospital.
“What God cannot do does not exist. Junior Pope is alive. He is taking treatment in the hospital,” Rollas wrote.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, when contacted for confirmation, had said information about the death of Junior Pope was not available to him.
“I do not have that information, but I am aware there is a boat that capsized between the boundary of Anambra and Asaba.
“It is confirmed that rescue operation is still ongoing; I don’t have the full details with me yet, as soon as I have further details I will let you know”, SP Ikenga said.
A filmmaker, known as Samuel Olatunji first raise concerns about the death of Junior Pope via his official Instagram profile. According to Olatunji, Junior Pope was on his way to a movie location.
The Nollywood star had earlier shared a video of himself on a boat on his way to the movie location via his official Instagram account.
Junior Pope, in 2006, joined the Nollywood industry and started attending movie auditions as well as acting minor characters in movies.
He usually played the role of a bodyguard, palace attendant, and servant in movies.
In 2007, he rose to fame after acting in the Nollywood blockbuster movie, “Secret Adventures”, a movie directed by Tchidi Chikere.
He acted in more than 150 Nollywood movies which include: “Secret Adventures”, “Mad sex”, “Bitter Generation”, “Vengeance of Bullet”, “The Cat”, “The Generals”, “Wrong Initiation” among others.
In 2010, he won the award for Nollywood Most Promising Actor in Nigeria at the Entertainment Factory Awards.
He is known for acting criminal, villain, armed robber, militant and hitman roles in movies alongside Emma Ehumadu, Sylvester Madu, Zubby Michael, Jim Iyke, Alaso Wariboko, Gentle Jack, Hanks Anuku, Jerry Amilo.
Other awards he won include Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards and Best Actor of the Year at the Africa Movie Academy Awards among others.