The final video that Nigerian performer Junior Pope uploaded to his two million+ Instagram followers ominously hinted to his impending demise.
Above the sound of a small motorboat speeding down the River Niger, the 42-year-old exclaims, “You see the risks, people, we take to entertain you.”
He encourages the driver to slow down and chuckles, though it’s unclear if he’s laughing out of excitement or worry.
The actor, whose true name was John Paul Odonwodo, screams, “I am begging the captain, that I’m the only child and I have three boys,” as he detects some water entering the boat with concern.
The Nollywood celebrity passed away the following day. The boat he was traveling in crashed with a fishing canoe, causing him to drown in the same river.
There were four more fatalities, including members of the film team.
The industry was shocked to learn of the death in April of one of the biggest names in Nigeria’s storied film industry—having worked on over 100 films.
Since then, actors have been criticizing Nollywood’s lackluster safety record and advocating for reform.
After Hollywood and Bollywood in India, nollywood is the third-biggest film industry globally.
More than 2,500 films are produced there annually; some are by big, well-known production firms, but there are also dozens of smaller businesses that rely on the success of one of the nation’s largest
