In a heart-wrenching account, Nollywood actor TC Okafor has revealed the harrowing details of the boat accident that claimed the lives of Junior Pope and three others. Speaking openly about the accident, Okafor shared how the reckless behavior of the boat driver, eager to appear in a video for his Instagram page, led to the collision and the tragic loss of life. Despite the traumatic events, Okafor managed to survive, emerging from the accident shaken but alive.
Tragically, the news of Junior Pope’s demise has been confirmed following his attempt to cross the River Niger during the filming of “The Other Side Of Life.” Initially reported by PurpleWorld, the incident occurred while the actor was shooting a scene in the Adamma Luke production.
The heartbreaking news of Junior Pope’s passing was officially confirmed by the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, who took to Instagram early Thursday morning to share the tragic news with the Nollywood community.
Narrating how the accident occurred, Okafor who survived the tragic accident said, “First of all, I want to thank God for saving my life because it is not easy. I don’t know how I came out from that boat but the only thing I thank God for is that I came out alive with some of the crew members.
“When we came, we went down to the river to move. He (Shun Israel – the props) parked his car and he sent someone to buy one bottle of Hero and one bottle of Tiger; because he was coming down with the DOP (Director of Photograph). He came down the hill and after a little while, the person came with one black bowel and two beers. He gave the DOP one and was drinking one.
“Since I started this job, I always sit at the front of the boat. I don’t like sitting at the back. I have seen where boat capsized. I always hold the rope. It is very important to me.
“While I was at the front, they were making a video and I said that everybody should put their phones in their pockets. The DOP was wearing a jacket and the Director was wearing a life jacket. Only two of them wore life jackets.
“Before we entered the boat, I poured the Fanta I bought inside the river and the first thing Junior Pope asked me was what I was doing and I said I was giving to the water people because I don’t pass without sharing something. I have given them Fanta. I don’t want any bad thing to happen to me because I don’t like water at all and he said that is true.
“As we were going, JP (Junior Pope) was making a video. The boat driver was wearing an earpiece and I think he was playing video and while JP was making the video, he (boat driver) was focusing for his head to appear in the video.
“As I was at the front, I saw one small canoe of fishermen and I was telling the boat driver to see the canoe but if the driver has experience, he would have dodged the canoe, but he doesn’t have the experience and the first thing he hit was the last part of the canoe and the boat somersaulted.
“But because I was holding that rope they use to dock boat, the same rope one girl was holding and I was pushing her up. See me who doesn’t even enter the swimming pool. I don’t know how to swim.
“We were saved by other people who were there when we took off. When they saw what happened, they rushed with their boats and saved us. I was already getting weak when they came because as I held the rope, the girl held.
“As I came out, the props guy who parked his car and I and the girl and many others came out but when the boat came, the trauma was too much, I asked them to take me out of the place. Shun said he couldn’t stay, so he drove off in his car.
“When we were going, I couldn’t hold myself, I turned back and called one of my friends and I went to take tatanus injection. After that, Ever Young tracked me and said we should go back to the place.”
In a devastating twist, TC Okafor revealed that the producer of the movie, Adamma Luke, instructed the police to arrest him after the boat driver accused him of obstructing the driver’s view, allegedly leading to the accident. Okafor, still reeling from the loss of his colleague and friend, expressed disappointment and dismay over the producer’s actions, suggesting that he had been made a scapegoat in the tragic incident.
Okafor, who eventually announced his resignation as an actor said, “When I got there, I saw a lot of people including Adamma Luke. After I told them what happened, as I wanted to go up, one boy rushed to me and said the police were calling me.
“I was even the one who first went to Marine police station to report the incident because that was where we packed Shun Israel’s car. The police said that they have warned that anytime we come, we should always come and rent jackets from their station before we enter the water because they are the Marine police but because of our stinginess, we always think we can make it alone.
“I told him that any police who want to see me should come and see me where I was because my head was shaking. Then the policemen came and said they had to take me to Marine Extension in Onitsha by boat. I refused to enter a boat which God just saved my life and they said they have a life jacket for me.
“It was Adamma Luke that asked them to arrest me. She told them that I caused the accident, because as I left, the boat driver lied that I stood up inside the boat and that was why he did not see clearly. They had not seen Junior Pope when Adamma Luke asked the police to arrest me.
“I’m totally disappointed and at this point, I want to officially say this, ‘I am no longer an actor. I have survived so many times. I know how many times I have survived because of this stupid business. How much are you people even paying me?
“I know how many times I have been given poison. I know how many times I have had car accidents because of Nollywood. You people cannot kill me. My head is too strong. You can’t kill me. I don’t want to be an actor. Let me focus on my comedy. I’m the only child of my mother. I have no brother or sister.”