The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, has shared updates on the case of late Nollywood actor Junior Pope, shedding light on why the Guild could not take legal action against movie producer Adanma Luke.

In a recent interview on Arise TV, Rollas explained that Junior Pope's contract for the ill-fated movie The Other Side of Life—his last project before his passing—prevented the AGN from initiating legal proceedings. According to the contract, only Pope's immediate family or his wife had the legal standing to sue the producer.

“After consulting with our legal adviser, we discovered that based on the contract signed by Junior Pope, the AGN does not have the locus standi to sue. The contract specifies that the right to sue lies with either his direct family or his wife,” Rollas said.

He also highlighted structural issues within the Guild, revealing that Junior Pope had not been a due-paying member for over a year before his death. Rollas added that the AGN is now working on reforms to enhance its oversight and support for members, including implementing a licensing system for actors.

“We’re drawing from practices abroad and are set to introduce actor licensing to strengthen the Guild’s structure. This will ensure proper regulation and accountability for members,” Rollas stated.