The sleepy town of Uwala Abaka, Ukehe, in Nsukka, Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, was enveloped by sadness and grief, as the remains of one of their illustrious sons, actor John Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope was laid to rest.
The burial rites commenced at 10 am with a commendation mass at St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Ukehe, and lying-in-state at his father’s compound, where family members, well-wishers, colleagues, and friends had the final glimpse of the late actor before the body was moved to a private venue for internment at about 1.30 pm.
The atmosphere at the burial ceremony was somber as colleagues and fans gathered to pay their final respects to the late actor.
The late actor’s wife, Jennifer Awele couldn’t back tears as she was sighted weeping profusely at the commencement of the final funeral procession.
Her first son, who was trying to console his mother by wiping the tears off her face, equally broke down in tears. Unfortunately, some of the A-list actors and actresses, including the leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, were visibly missing at the burial ceremony.
The 43-year-old actor died alongside four other people on April 10, after their boat capsized in the Anam River, in Anambra State, while returning from a movie shoot.
Speaking at the burial ceremony, veteran actress Rita Edochie said that she was heartbroken when she heard the sad news of Junior Pope’s death.
Junior Pope’s legacy lives on through his contributions to the Nigerian film industry, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. May he rest in peace.
