The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has said that it is set to take legal action against the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and Adamma Luke over the death of Nollywood actor, John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope and four others in River Niger.
Adamma is the producer of the movie, “The Other Side Of Life” which was being filmed when the tragic boat accident that killed Junior Pope and others occurred.
The National President of the AGN, Emeka Rollas, who made this known while featuring on Arise News Television’s The Morning Show, said the Guild’s lawyers were ready to sue the producer and her association over negligence and failure to provide necessary safety precautions for actors and crew members.
Junior Pope and four other crew members including a makeup artist and a sound engineer drowned during a boat ride on the River Niger while making a movie produced by Luke.
The AGN also announced the indefinite ban of actors from working with Adamma Luke as a producer till further notice.
Speaking on the Arise News Television programme, Rollas was asked whose responsibility it is to ensure that security and safety measures are put in place while shooting movies, among other questions.
Responding to the questions, the AGN boss said, “Our lawyers are already preparing documents because this matter is actionable. I’m only waiting for the small committee we have set up to give me the report on all the things that happened. “I also learnt that not only the day that Junior Pope died, but the previous day, they still went on the waters without life jackets. At least in the video that Junior Pope showed everybody on Instagram the previous day, people on that boat were not wearing life jackets. “I’m waiting for this report and as soon as I get the report, the Association of Movie Producers will hear from our lawyers. The Adamma Luke Production will also hear from our lawyers.” Rollas further recalled another incident where a producer hired the services of a driver who did not have a driver’s licence and while trying to reverse a car, knocked down an actor. He said the negligence cost the AGN millions of Naira to save the actor’s life. He said, “The other day we had an actor who almost died on set because the producer hired a driver who doesn’t have a driver’s licence and who also doesn’t know how to drive, and while he was reversing, he hit the actor, Emmanuel Ayalogu. “It was the Guild that took him for treatment in the hospital and everything. We spent millions of Naira to get him back on track, and the producer was still saying the same please, please.
“This is not a profession for brothers or sisters. It is a business profession. If you are a producer, be a producer. Put money down and make your film. If you hire an actor, pay him and he will act. It is not ‘I beg, do this for me. There is no money.’”