Entertainment
CONFIRMED: Actor Jnr Pope drowns hours after he posted video on a boat
The actor talked about the risks actors put themselves through to ensure they deliver entertainment to the audience.
Jnr Pope was 39 years old [Instagram/@jnrpope]
Nollywood actor Junior Pope Odonwodo, popularly known as Jnr Pope, has died after drowning in a boat accident.
Jnr Pope died on a movie set in Asaba, the Delta State capital, on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Confusion had trailed his status Wednesday night after Emeka Rollas, the national president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), announced that the actor was responding to medical treatment.
“What God cannot do does not exist. Junior Pope is alive. He is taking treatment in the hospital,” Rollassaidin a later deleted post on Instagram.
However, the AGN president confirmed Pope’s passing in a new post on Thursday morning. “It’s so so sad that our joy was shortlived,” he said.
Clearing up the confusion triggered by his initial post, Rollas clarified, “My first post was out of excitement when we noticed his tingling fingers. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail. God knows the best. We finally lost him.”
The deceased actor was married and blessed with three kids.
Rollas also confirmed that the corpse of one Mr Friday had also been identified, while three other victims of the boat accident, including a makeup artist and a sound guy, are still missing.
The incident happened a few hours after Pope shared a video of himself on his Instagram page, riding a wooden boat without a life jacket, apparently for a scene in the movie he was acting in.
“See me lamenting. The risk we take to entertain you. Crossing river 9ja yesterday with no life jacket. Na wahoooooo. Who does that?” Jnr Pope captioned the video.
Jnr Pope’s death comes less than a week after the passing of Aderounmu Adejumoke, the actress who rose to fame for her role as Esther in the popular Funke Akindele series, Jenifa’s Diary.
This comes after Nollywood suffered a string of losses in March, with three prominent actors losing their lives.
On March 1, Yoruba actor, Tolani Quadri Oyebamiji, popularly known as Sisi Quadri, died after a brief illness.
The incident was followed by the passing of John ‘Mr Ibu’ Okafor the following day, while another veteran thespian, Amaechi Muonagor, died on March 24. The two died after a protracted battle with illnesses.
Entertainment
Meta suspends Idris Abdulkareem’s Accounts Over New Song, ‘Open Letter to Donald Trump’
In the song, Abdulkareem accuses Nigerian leaders of enriching themselves while ordinary citizens endure hardship, describing them as “criminals of all shades and hues” who dominate society.
“Facebook just suspended my Facebook and Instagram account because of my new song, Open Letter to Donald Trump,” said Nigerian rapper and activist Eedris Abdulkareem.
Abdulkareem, in a post on Sunday said that that he has been unable to access either account since the release of the track.
“I can’t access it.”
Abdulkareem, known for politically charged music and criticism of government policies, did not provide further details on the duration of the suspension imposed by Meta, Facebook’s parent company.
Released in November 2025 under his label, Lakreem Entertainment, Open Letter to Donald Trump is framed as a direct address to the former U.S. President but primarily targets Nigeria’s political class.
In the song, Abdulkareem accuses Nigerian leaders of enriching themselves while ordinary citizens endure hardship, describing them as “criminals of all shades and hues” who dominate society.
The track references worsening insecurity, including kidnappings, killings, and terrorism, and seeks to draw international attention to Nigeria’s crises.
Entertainment
India’s Bollywood legend Dharmendra dies at 89
Dharmendra, one of India’s most beloved actors, enjoyed a six-decade career spanning more than 300 films.
•Dharmendra Krishan Deol
Legendary Bollywood actor Dharmendra Krishan Deol has passed away in Mumbai at the age of 89, marking the end of a remarkable era in Indian cinema.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes on his X handle Monday, describing Dharmendra’s death as “the end of an era.”
Dharmendra, one of India’s most beloved actors, enjoyed a six-decade career spanning more than 300 films.
Best known for his role as Veeru in the 1975 classic Sholay, he was celebrated for his versatility, excelling in romance, action, comedy, and drama.
Born on December 8, 1935, in Punjab’s Ludhiana district, Dharmendra rose from modest beginnings to become one of Bollywood’s most admired stars.
After winning a nationwide talent contest, he moved to Bombay and made his film debut in 1960.
His breakthrough came with Bimal Roy’s Bandini in 1963, followed by decades of box-office hits.
Entertainment
2Baba Natasha Deliver Baby Girl
The new arrival brings the number of 2Baba’s children to eight, shared among four different women, with Natasha now becoming the fourth woman to have a child for the Afrobeats legend.
Celebrity Nigerian musician, Innocent Ujah Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has welcomed a baby girl with his wife, Natasha, a lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly.
In the brief announcement, Natasha expressed gratitude with the caption: “It’s a Girl”, followed by prayer emojis.
The new arrival brings the number of 2Baba’s children to eight, shared among four different women, with Natasha now becoming the fourth woman to have a child for the Afrobeats legend.
The child was delivered in an Abuja hospital last week Thursday night.
This delivery comes a few months after the singer and his wife, Annie Idibia, reportedly parted ways following prolonged marital issues.
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