From stage to grave: How “Jesus” actor Michael Obetan died after Good Friday reenactment accident in Cross River

A 40-year-old UNICROSS graduate, Michael Obetan, has died following a tragic accident involving simulated gunpowder during a Good Friday Passion of Christ reenactment at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ugep, Cross River State.

Fear and grief have enveloped the residents of Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area, Cross River State, following the tragic death of Michael Obetan, a 40-year-old graduate of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS). Obetan, popularly known as “English Man,” was a fixture of the Holy Cross Catholic Church’s annual Passion Play, where his portrayal of Jesus Christ had become a defining tradition for the community. During the Good Friday reenactment on April 3, 2026, a dramatic scene involving simulated gunpowder effects intended to enhance the realism of the performance went horribly wrong. Eyewitnesses reported that a discharge allegedly struck Obetan in the head while he was still on stage, turning a solemn ritual into a scene of chaos and horror. “It was something he had done for years. Nobody ever imagined it would end this way,” a devastated church member remarked.

Following the freak accident, Obetan was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, for emergency stabilization. As his condition rapidly deteriorated, he was referred to a specialist facility in Enugu for advanced neurological treatment; however, he was tragically confirmed dead upon arrival. The loss has cast a long shadow over the Easter season in Ugep, with many pointing to a poignant Facebook post Obetan shared on March 23, 2026, titled “When Life Feels Like a Closed Tomb.” The reflection, based on the biblical story of Lazarus, spoke of finding faith in periods of immense pain—a message that has now taken on a prophetic and somber tone for his grieving friends and family.

The UNICROSS alumnus was widely admired not only for his religious dedication but as a dependable and supportive figure within the wider Yakurr community. In the wake of his passing, tributes have flooded social media, with many struggling to reconcile the “English Man’s” decades of service to the church with the violent nature of his end. While the Holy Cross Catholic Church has yet to release an official statement regarding the safety protocols used during the performance, the incident has raised urgent questions about the use of pyrotechnics in local theatrical productions. For now, the usual atmosphere of hope and resurrection in Ugep has been replaced by a period of intense mourning and unanswered questions surrounding a tradition that proved fatal.

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