Nigerian singer dies after snake bite despite visiting two health facilities; hospital denies antivenom shortage

Nigerian singer Ifunanya Nwangene, who competed on The Voice Nigeria, died on January 31 after being bitten by a snake while she was sleeping in her apartment. She was 26. “With painful heart, we announce the demise of Ifunanya Nwangene Nanyah,” AMEMUSO choir announcer Sam Ezugwu said in an Instagram post. Described as a “rising star,” Nwangene — known on YouTube as “NANYAH” — was “on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world,” the choir wrote while mourning the loss of their member.

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According to the BBC, Nwangene was asleep in her apartment in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja when she was awakened by a snake biting her leg. A friend told the outlet that she rushed to a nearby clinic, which did not have antivenom to treat the snakebite, before being transferred to a hospital.


The hospital allegedly had one of the two required antivenoms, and Ezugwu went out in search of the second dose. However, Nwangene was pronounced dead before he could return, as per the BBC report.

In a statement posted on X, the hospital, however, denied that antivenom had been unavailable and said claims that its response was inadequate were “unfounded and do not reflect the reality of the situation.”

“We wish to address the circulating discussion on social media concerning the unfortunate case of Ms. Ifunanya Lucy Nwangene, who tragically passed away due to neurotoxic complications following a snake bite,” the statement read. “The management team at Federal Medical Centre, Abuja acted promptly and with the utmost care upon Ms. Nwangene’s arrival. Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment,” it continued.


Following the incident, animal control officials were dispatched to Nwangene’s apartment, where two snakes were captured. In videos posted on social media, one person can be heard shouting, “It’s a cobra,” as the snakes were removed from the singer’s home.

Who was Ifunanya Nwangene?

Ifunanya Nwangene was a 26-year-old Nigerian singer and songwriter who gained prominence as a contestant on season three of The Voice Nigeria in 2021. She was widely known for her versatility, blending jazz, opera, classical music, and soul.

The Nigerian singer first gained significant attention during the show’s third season after turning two chairs with her rendition of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow.” The official YouTube video of her audition has garnered more than 100,000 views.

Beyond television, Nwangene shared covers, including several Rihanna songs, as well as original music on her YouTube channel. Her final Instagram post teased a “new project” with fellow Nigerian musician Tbrass. The Nigerian singer Ifunanya also had a strong following on social media, with more than 37K followers on Instagram and 81K followers on Facebook.