Nollywood actor, TC Okafor, who survived the boat accident that claimed the lives of Jnr Pope and four others has come out to speak on how the accident happened.
In an IG live recorded today April 11, TC said late Jnr Pope was filming himself on the boat while they were riding to the movie location when the boat captain got distracted and in his bid to enter the video Jnr Pope was recording, looked away and collided with a fisherman’s boat. He said their boat capsized and that the only saving grace for him was that he was holding on to the anchor rope of the boat. He said while on the boat, it was only the Director and the Director of Photography (DOP) that had life jackets on.
‘’Since we started this job, I have always sat in front of the boat because I have seen where a a boat capsize. I always like to hold the rope on the boat. They were making a video and I advised everyone to put their phones in their pocket. The DOP was wearing a jacket and the director was wearing a life jacket, Only two of them wore life jacket.
Before we entered the boat, I took the Fanta I bought and poured into the boat. Junior Pope asked me what I was doing and I told him I was observing ‘water people’ and that I do not like to pass without sharing something. I just gave them Fanta. I don’t want any bad thing to happen to me. I don’t like water. He said it’s true.
As we were sailing, Junior Pope started making videos. The boat captain was wearing an earpiece. He was focusing his head for it to be in the video Junior Pope was making. I was in the front. I saw the boat of some fishermen and I alerted him ‘see canoe!’. He had no experience. The first thing that happened was that he hit the last point of the canoe and that was how the boat ‘summersaulted’. Because I was holding the rope that helps to anchor a boat, that was what helped me and one other girl. That was it”
He said it was a stationed boat around the river that came in to rescue him and the other survivors.
Okafor said after the accident, the movie producer, Adanma Luke, tried to get him arrested claiming that the boat captain said that he caused the accident by obstructing his vision.
‘’I was the one that first reported the matter at the Marine police station. They told us that why do we film makers keep doing this. They said they have always told us to come and rent a jacket before entering the water but that because of our stinginess, we never come to even take them and some divers.”
Twelve persons were in the ill-fated boat. Seven were rescued alive, two bodies were recovered while three bodies are yet to be recovered.
