CurrentReport Blog Nollywood actress Esther Nwachukwu has stirred a hornet’s nest on social media with her recent revelations about the late actor Junior Odonwodo, better known as Junior Pope, and his troubled marital life. Taking to her Instagram page, Nwachukwu alleged that Pope had confided in her about his marital problems before his untimely death on April 10, 2024.
Her disclosure came in the wake of mounting criticism directed at Pope’s widow by Nwachukwu, who argued that the bereaved spouse should have observed a longer mourning period. According to societal norms, a mourning period of six months to a year is expected, instead of the widow attending social events shortly after her husband’s demise.
In an exclusive interview with newsmen on Saturday, Nwachukwu said, “When Junior Pope was alive, the wife never gave him peace. She disturbed him a lot. I actually dated Junior Pope, and I still have his name tattooed on my body. While we were together, he told me how his wife used to disturb him. But, one thing about him is that he likes to trend. He would be going through a lot, but would still come on social media to post pictures and videos of his family.”
Nwachukwu further claimed that the couple’s issues became more pronounced from December 2023, when Pope allegedly stopped posting pictures of his wife. “That was when they started having issues. Sometimes, he wouldn’t sleep in his house but would rather stay in hotels. I am sure some people who were close to him knew about it. But, because he had painted himself as a good husband online, he did not know how to tell people about his issues. That was why he died in silence,” she added.
Nwachukwu also voiced her disapproval of the widow’s actions post-Pope’s death, stating, “A grieving wife wouldn’t have come out barely two months after the death of her husband. She came out and acted like all was well, and because many Nigerians like eye service, she decided to dress in black, so people would think she was mourning. A young widow is not supposed to just go about her business like that. We all know she isn’t hungry, because there is money. Nigerians are good at sympathising with people, and I know they must have helped her in so many ways.”
In a surprising turn, Nwachukwu also took a swipe at Nigerian music superstar Davido, accusing him of disrespecting his child, Imade’s mother, Sophia Momodu. She stressed the importance of resolving family issues before entering a new marriage. “He has been disrespectful to Sophia all this while. I believe that before any man gets married, he should settle all pending issues and make peace with going into marriage with another woman. He shouldn’t disrespect the mother of his child for any reason, because he is indirectly disrespecting the child in the process,” Nwachukwu asserted.
She concluded by criticizing Davido’s actions towards his daughter, Imade, stating, “Davido is making the daughter see herself as an unwanted child. Behind closed doors, some people would insult Imade, saying that her father did not want her mother.”
