By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The boat rider that drove late Nollywood actor, Junior Pope, and other crew members to a movie location in Anam, Anambra State, has come out to say that the incident that took the life of the actor and some other crew members was not an accident but “a spiritual manipulation targeted at him”.

He recalled that before they left the shores, the crew members were called to take life jackets but they refused, alleging that actor JC Okafor was actually the one that vehemently said they did not need life jacket.

The boat rider in a video posted on Facebook said that when they moved, Jnr. Pope recalled the dream he had the previous night, saying he dreamt of where he was being pursued in a dream and the face he saw looked like that of the producer, then the person close to him said he shouldn’t bother, that it was mere dream.

He said: “There’s something they are hiding and then trying to heap everything on my head. That guy wearing tattoo (JC Okafor) has said many bad things about me and because he is a celebrity, everybody is believing him and pointing finger at me as the root cause of the incident.

“People are writing everywhere that it is an accident. It is not an accident rather, it’s a manipulation targeted against Jnr Pope. That guy was holding the rope, if not, it is the rope I would have used to shift the boat but he was holding unto it, I had to use my hand and the tail hit the canoe and we capsized.

“Against the backdrop of claims by that tattooed actor, I was the one that saved the girl he claimed to have saved. When we got out from the water, we wanted to go and bring out Jnr. Pope, it was that same guy that said we should wait a while for the ones saved to recover first, asking if they are not human beings too?

“Jnr Pope never made any video inside the boat as claimed by the tattooed actor. What happened was already programmed spiritually to happen. If you know Prophet Ebuka, he had told Jnr Pope this thing, that when good thing is coming, bad things always come along, I remember that vividly, that he should be extra careful and in less than two weeks after that message, he got drowned. I’m a member of Pastor Ebuka’s church. I can’t keep quiet again, they should tell the truth.

“I’m just coming from police where I was interrogated. I decided to make this video to throw like light on what happened. I had taken them in that boat to cross that river by 10pm, they were not on life jacket and nothing happened. I have to come out and talk because everybody is saying, where is the boat man. I will say what I know, I don’t care if they come after me or if they jail me. This is the truth. After the boat capsized, that tattooed actor (JC Okafor) was the first to write RIP and posted it. I was there and he made a call, telling someone that Jnr. Pope is dead.

“They had not taken him to the hospital, he concluded he was dead. There’s a secret somewhere. This incident is not my fault. All of pointing fingers at me, I pray something like this happen to you or your children or relation. Now they have taken away my means of livelihood as I have been told not to ride boat again.

“All the people that doesn’t want to listen to me, this will happen to you people, so you understand. Asaba knows the secret of this, including producers. You people should help me, this boy has spoilt my name and job. I wish Jnr Pope will wake up and narrate the story. Life jacket is provided for anybody that wants to enter boat but they refused to take it after they were urged several times.”

While saying that three people were still in the water, he wondered why nobody has bothered about them.

He added: “I’m saying it again, this is not an accident, if you want to come after, go ahead, if you want arrest me, fine. Let me tell you, once you become successful in life, people will begin to come after you.

“There are secrets people need to come out with. Okay, why did actor Zubby Michael leave Asaba for Lagos? Do you think he doesn’t know what he’s doing? You call him stupid. When you’re getting to the top, enemies will become jealous and come after you. I’m ready to say the truth to the end. Let them come and carry me. I’m not afraid, they have the job that feeds me. I have never done video before but I was told to do this to clear my name.

“If you like, share it, if you like screen shot it, send it everywhere. The advice I’m giving is, If you are making or involved in movie production in Asaba, know the way you do your things.”

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