More details are gradually emerging surrounding the reported death of Nollywood special effects makeup artist James Akaie, following an incident on a movie set in Abeokuta, Ogun State, even as official confirmation from authorities is still awaited.
Sources familiar with the production told Freelanews that Akaie and members of his team were initially preparing for a scene involving a simulated explosive effect.
The device reportedly failed to function as intended during preparations, after which the director was said to have decided to proceed without the effect and informed the team that the scene no longer required it.
It was further gathered that Akaie, along with two members of his crew, moved away from the main filming area with the equipment to a backstage location. While attempting to check the cause of the malfunction, an explosion reportedly occurred.
Akaie was said to have sustained fatal injuries in the incident as he was cut in two, while the two crew members were also injured and rushed for medical attention.
Sources indicated that the injured crew members initially encountered challenges accessing treatment late that night but are now said to be responding to care.
At the time of filing this report, neither the film’s producers, the Ogun State Police Command, nor other relevant authorities have released an official statement detailing the circumstances of the incident or confirming the exact cause of the explosion.
Also read: Nollywood SFX makeup artist James Akaie allegedly dies after explosion on Abeokuta movie set
The development has nonetheless triggered an outpouring of grief within the Nollywood community, with colleagues describing James Akaie as a committed professional whose work contributed to the industry’s evolving technical standards.
Freelanews will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as official statements and verified details become available.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
