Lasun Alagbe
As many continue to mourn the death of Nollywood actor, Junior Pope, the producer of the movie being shot when he met his untimely death, Adanma Luke, has recalled the circumstances that propelled her to invite him for the job.
A distraught Luke says it was the first time he would act with her, though they were friends.
She says even the wife of the departed actor was also a friend to her.
Luke drowned alongside four crew members of ‘The Other Side of Life’.
In a video in which Luke states all she has been going through since the accident happened on Wednesday, April 10, she recalls: “ This is the first time working with JP. He was my friend. His wife and got talking. She asked, ‘Why don’t you want to give my husband job?’ I said, ‘Why won’t I give him job. He be my friend. Then JP said, ‘You be my friend. Why you no dey do me job?’ I told JP: Na action film you dey do. He said, ‘NO. I do love too. I am artiste…”
Trying to stich her thoughts together as she appeared traumatized – she actually says so – the producer notes that she was supposed to be in the boat that capsized:
“I was supposed to be on that boat. My production manager was calling me to bring the memory card so they could start filming. I told him to come and collect it. He said NO, MA you know this place is far. He said I should bring it for them. I asked: Why haven’t you people crossed? Why haven’t you arrived? He said they were waiting for Junior Pope to arrive. I said Okay. They went on April 9. Junior Pope went alone.
“On the 10th when I was going to give the card to them, I went with my brother’s two kids. We were supposed to be on that boat together. On getting there, I saw Emeka – Emeka was my DOP. He was just sitting. I was surprised because I didn’t see others. I saw that people surrounded him. I asked, ‘What is it?’ Emeka was quiet. ‘Emeka, talk to me. Why haven’t you crossed? Where is Obu, where is everybody?’ He started shouting. ‘What’s happening?’ He said, ‘JP don go. Abigail don go. Friday do go… ‘
“I still didn’t understand what he meant. ‘Don go where? They are not shooting again?’ He said they were under water. I said, ‘Let me go, let me goi and look for them.’ They said there were over 50 divers looking for them.
“I still can’t believe this. They were my family. Working with me. If I’m working in Lagos they would transport from Asaba.
Meanwhile, she also explains that she has not made any official statement on the tragedy because she has been busy sorting out demands it provoked.
She says: “I’ve been traumatised. I feel so cold. This whole thing seems like a dream to me.
I still wish I could still wake up from this dream. I had not been able to make any statement since because I had been trying to look for the bodies.
“I have provided money for recovery. I have had to provide money for caskets. I have not been quiet. I have been doing things so these people can rest.”
Luke explains that she nearly jumped into the river upon learning that the five had drowned.
“I still can’t believe this. They were my family. Working with me. If I’m working in Lagos, they would transport from Asaba and join me. It’s so sad this thing happened on my set. It’s so sad. I blame myself for coming down to Asaba. If I knew, I should have stayed and did all the shooting in Lagos.”
