There has been widespread grief in Nigeria following the death of a 26-year-old aspiring singer who died after being bitten by a snake in the capital, Abuja. Ifunanya Nwangene, who rose to national attention after appearing on The Voice Nigeria in 2021, died on Saturday after the incident at her apartment. She was admired for her versatility, blending jazz, opera, classical music and soul, and was regarded by colleagues as a promising talent in Nigeria’s music scene.
A close friend, Sam Ezugwu, co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir where Nwangene sang, described her as a “rising star”. He said she had been preparing to stage her first solo concert later this year and was also a trained architect. Another friend and fellow singer, Hillary Obinna, said he was told Nwangene had been asleep when the snake bit her, waking her suddenly.
He added that two snakes were later found inside the house. Nwangene initially sought treatment at a nearby clinic, but was referred to a hospital after it emerged that antivenom was unavailable at the first facility. Ezugwu said he rushed to the hospital upon learning of her condition and was informed that only one of the required antivenoms was available.
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“While they were trying to stabilise her, she could not speak but could still make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe,” he said. He added that he went in search of the missing antivenom but returned to the hospital to find that she had died.
Members of the choir later gathered at the hospital, hoping for a positive outcome. However, the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, where she was taken, denied claims that antivenom was unavailable or that its response was inadequate. The hospital said a rapid assessment showed that Nwangene had suffered severe complications from the snake bite and that her condition deteriorated suddenly before she could be transferred to intensive care.
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