River incidents that claimed the lives of Nigeria and Ghana's finest stars

The recent tragic death of Nollywood actor Junior Pope has resurrected the haunting memory of Ghanaian singer Castro's demise, as both celebrities lost their lives in separate river incidents.

Ghanaian Hiplife artiste, Theophilus Tagoe also known as Castro was said to have died in a jet ski accident at Ada. The incident which happened on Sunday, July 6, 2014, threw the nation into a state of mourning and confusion as the singer’s body was never found to give him the befitting burial he deserved.

According to sources, Castro drowned in the Volta Lake while on a weekend getaway with Black Stars striker, Asamoah Gyan.

While Castro was on the jet ski with a few people, a lady whom they had gone on the getaway with fell into the river, Castro attempted to rescue her but he eventually drowned in the process and his body was never recovered.

Even though many believed Castro had died, he could not be pronounced dead according to the laws of the country until seven years after the incident.

There was a glimmer of hope in the hearts of many that the singer who had captured the hearts of people with his skill would be found, if not dead, then at least soon, so he could be given a respectable burial.

However, after several days of searching with no results, hope began to fade, and seven years later, it appeared that there was no chance left and he was legally declared dead on July 6, 2021.

On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, news of Nollywood actor Junior Pope’s death broke leaving the movie industry devastated as it had already lost a number of its performers this year.

The actor was said to have passed away after a boat he was in capsized. The actor and other crew members were crossing the River Niger for a movie shoot when the incident happened.

There was confusion as to whether he was really dead or still alive as the narrative wasn’t really clear. The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) however, cleared the air by confirming the actor’s death on Thursday, April 11.

Following Junior Pope’s death, many have opined that his death was avoidable and that he wouldn’t have died if he had a life jacket on or if the movie producers had made available necessary items and measures to prevent such a situation.

According to some, after the boat capsized, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid skills could have helped bring back to life Junior Pope and his colleagues but the people around were rather filming the unfortunate incident.

Also, it has been alleged that he was taken to a traditional home after the incident happened when the best thing would have been to take him to a hospital for proper medical care.

While certain details haven’t been confirmed yet, it is believed that filmmakers ought to make available the necessary things that would be needed for production before they embark on any as they can’t be putting actors’ lives into jeopardy.

There has also been the need for awareness and caution when engaging in water-related activities. Some believe that the River should have been appeased before they entered the boat and certain spiritualities taken notice of.

Both Nigerian and Ghanaian actors have sent their condolences to the bereaved family and expressed their regret over the news as the Nollywood industry had already lost vibrant actors like John Okafor popularly known as Mr Ibu and Amaechi Muonagor among others.