The excitement surrounding Abubakar Yakubu’s victory as the newly elected President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) was tragically overshadowed by a fatal car accident that occurred on the very day he was declared the winner.

Yakubu, who had just secured the AGN presidency in a fiercely contested election against veteran actress Rita Daniels, was returning to Lagos from Benin after the election when the tragedy struck. Sources revealed that after arriving in Lagos by flight on Saturday, Yakubu was en route to visit a friend in Surulere when his car was involved in an accident. The crash led to the death of a pedestrian and resulted in Yakubu’s subsequent arrest. After a thorough investigation, Yakubu was granted bail.

In a heartfelt statement shared on Instagram, Emeka Rollas, the outgoing president of AGN, provided further details about the accident. Rollas explained that the incident was caused by an unexpected mechanical brake failure, which led to the tragic death of a child and left the child’s mother seriously injured. The mother is currently receiving medical treatment.

Yakubu’s victory as AGN president was historic. He won by a narrow margin of 116 votes to 113, with three votes deemed invalid. His win made him the first Northern Nigerian to assume the presidency of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, an organization that, since its inception in 1998, had been traditionally led by individuals from the Southern part of Nigeria.

This tragic event has cast a shadow over what should have been a momentous occasion for the guild and Yakubu’s leadership journey. The entire Nigerian film industry, especially his colleagues within AGN, will no doubt be affected by the unexpected turn of events.