August 03, (THEWILL) – The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, has lifted the suspension on Adanma Luke, the producer of the ill-fated movie ‘The Other Side of Life’, in which the deceased Nollywood actor John Paul Odonwodo, aka Junior Pope, starred.
Junior Pope and four other crew members drowned after their boat capsized at the waterside of River Niger Cable Point, Asaba, Delta State, while returning from the movie set on April 10.
Following the incident and tragic deaths, the AGN indefinitely suspended Luke for breaching safety protocols and prohibited its members from working with the embattled producer until further notice.
The guild also banned films involving riverine areas and boat riding to ensure the safety of actors and crew members by preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future.
She was pardoned four months after being barred from participating in any film production.
AGN’s National Secretary, Abubakar Yakubu in a statement noted that this decision was revealed during the guild’s National Executive Council meeting.
The statement reads, “The National President of the Guild, Dr Ejezie Emeka Rollas, MON, use this opportunity to announce the lifting of the suspension placed on Adanma Luke, producer of the movie ‘Another Side of Life,’ where star actor Junior Pope and four other crew members lost their lives in Anam river.
“The President also lifted the ban on filming in riverine areas but cautioned members to apply all safety standard measures recommended in the AGN Bylaws.”
A preliminary report, dated May 25, by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), detailed that the accident resulted from the driver’s distraction and revealed that the boat was not certified by the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA.
Before his death, the actor posted a video on his Instagram page, voicing concerns about the lack of life jackets during their river crossing.
The tragic event highlighted safety concerns on movie sets, leading to demands for scrutiny and improved safety standards within the industry.
In an official response to the tragedy, the guild promptly extended its condolences, halted movie shoots nationwide on April 11, and established two committees: one to investigate the incident and another to improve the welfare of its members.
The AGN introduced new bylaws on 9 July aimed at better production standards and welfare.
According to the producer, life jackets were available, but Junior Pope refused to wear one because it was dirty.
This confirms the NSIB preliminary report, which noted that only a few passengers on the boat wore life jackets.
