The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has expressed his profound condolences on the passing of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, a distinguished politician and former Governor of Abia State, at the age of 72 years.

The Governor also reached out to the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN and the entire Nollywood family on the death of John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope who drown in Anam River, Anambra state on Wednesday.

A former lecturer and the first civilian governor of Abia State, Ogbonnaya Onu also served Nigeria selflessly in numerous capacities, including Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in former President Buhari’s administration, and as a former national chairman of the All Nigeria’s Peoples Party (ANPP).

A statement Saturday by Christian Aburime, Press Secretary to the Governor quoted Soludo to have eulogised Dr. Onu as a leader known for his steadfast principles, decency and simplicity, while his contributions to national development, from his role as the first chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Elected Governors to his advocacy for scientific advancement, will be deeply missed.

“Thus, the governor offers his sincerest condolences to Dr. Onu’s family, friends, and associates as well as the Government and people of Abia State during this difficult time, praying that God grant them comfort and strength as they mourn his loss,” the statement said.

In another statement by Aburime, the Anambra State Governor, commiserated with families, Actors Guild of Nigeria and the entire Nollywood industry on the painful loss of their members in a recent fatal boat accident that occurred along River Niger en route to a movie location.

The Governor in his condolence message expressed deep regrets that talented, promising, young Nigerians like actor Junior Pope and others in pursuit of their career dreams could lose their lives in such unfortunate circumstances.

“This tragic accident, the Governor remarks, brings to the fore again the importance of engaging basic safety measures in water transportation in Nigeria, most especially the procurement of life jackets, hiring of life guards, and administration of first aids like CPR on victims.

“Governor Soludo, while urging Nollywood practitioners to always comply with the above necessary safety precautions to save lives on riverside engagements, further expressed his full support for development of the creative entertainment industry.

“He affirmed that the entertainment sector is complementary to well-rounded development in society, and that is why the Anambra State Government today is building the “Solution Fun City” in Awka, remodeling the Agulu Lake as a tourist delight, and modernising the water transportation system in the state to boost tourism and economic activities.

“The Governor prays that the souls of the boat tragedy victims rest in peace, while their families, friends and industry colleagues find solace in their cherished memories,” Aburime stated.