The town of Uwala Abaka, Ukehe, in Nsukka, Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, was filled with sadness as actor John Odonwodo, known as Junior Pope, was laid to rest. The burial rites began at 10 am with a commendation mass at St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Ukehe, followed by a lying-in-state at his father’s compound.
Family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers gathered to bid farewell before his body was moved to a private venue for interment at about 1:30 pm.
The ceremony was somber, with many colleagues and fans in attendance to pay their respects. Junior Pope’s wife, Jennifer Awele, was seen weeping profusely, comforted by her eldest son who also broke down in tears.
Notably, some prominent actors and the leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria were absent from the burial.
Junior Pope, aged 43, died on April 10 along with four others when their boat capsized in the Anam River in Anambra State, while returning from a movie shoot.
Veteran actress Rita Edochie, speaking at the ceremony, expressed her heartbreak upon hearing the news of his death.
