Various groups within the filmmaking community, operating under the umbrella of South East Film Crew Welfare, staged a protest in Enugu on Wednesday afternoon following the tragic deaths of five of their members in a boat accident on the Anambra River.
Junior Pope, Abigail Frederick, Precious Oforum, Joseph Anointing, and Friday Okoroafor lost their lives in the incident, prompting members of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria (CDGN), and others to march through the streets of Enugu metropolis. The procession, which started from Okpara Square, Independence Layout, moved through Rangers Avenue, Bissala Road, and concluded at the Film Arena, National Museum.
In addition to the protest, a candlelight procession was held in honor of the deceased.
Jonas Onunweze, a props and set designer and spokesperson for the group, voiced their condemnation of the treatment faced by artists and crew members in the Nollywood industry, highlighting the need for better treatment and safety measures.