Rising Star Ifunanya Nwangene Dies Following Cobra Attack

Post By DJ Longers
February 3, 2026

Shattered Dreams in Abuja: Rising Star Ifunanya Nwangene Dies Following Cobra Attack

ABUJA — The Nigerian music community is in a state of profound mourning following the tragic death of Ifunanya "Nanyah" Nwangene, a 26-year-old singer whose skyrocketing career was cut short by a fatal snake bite in her own home.

Nwangene, a former standout contestant on The Voice Nigeria, passed away on Saturday 31st January, at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, just hours after being bitten by a cobra while she slept.

A Nightmare in Hell’s Kitchen

The horrific incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning at Nwangene’s residence in the Lugbe suburb of Abuja. According to close friends, the singer was asleep when she was jolted awake by a sharp pain. To her horror, she discovered a snake in her bedroom.

Videos that have since gone viral on social media show a professional snake handler removing a large black cobra from the apartment as bystanders can be heard screaming in distress. A second snake was reportedly discovered and killed near the entrance of the home shortly thereafter.

The Race Against Time

Nwangene’s final hours were marked by a desperate, failed search for life-saving medical care. Witnesses say she remained remarkably brave, initially booking a ride-hailing service herself to reach a nearby clinic.

First Stop: A private clinic in Lugbe, which reportedly turned her away due to a lack of anti-venom.
Second Stop: The Federal Medical Centre, Jabi.

Sam Ezugwu, the music director of the Amemuso Choir where Nwangene sang as a soprano, recounted the harrowing scene at the hospital to the BBC.

“While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak, but she could make hand gestures,” Ezugwu said. “She was struggling to breathe.”

Ezugwu alleged that while the hospital administered one dose of anti-venom, they lacked a second necessary component. He reportedly drove to a distant pharmacy to purchase the missing medicine, only to return and find that Nwangene had succumbed to neurotoxic complications at 12:20 PM.

Hospital Refutes Claims of Scarcity

The Federal Medical Centre has since issued a formal statement refuting allegations of negligence or a shortage of medicine. Dr. Bioku Muftau, Head of Clinical Service, stated that Nwangene was attended to immediately with "resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, and polyvalent snake anti-venom."

The hospital maintains that the singer had already developed "severe neurotoxic effects" by the time she arrived and that every possible effort was made to save her life.

A Legacy of Voice and Vision

Ifunanya Nwangene was more than just a rising singer; she was a trained architect who balanced her technical career with a deep passion for the arts. She first captured the national heart in 2021 during Season 3 of The Voice Nigeria, where her soulful rendition of Rihanna’s "Take a Bow" turned two chairs and earned her a reputation for blending jazz, opera, and classical music with ease.

At the time of her death, Nwangene was preparing for her first solo concert later this year and had recently recorded a collaboration with artist Tbrass, who shared a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram:

“An irreplaceable loss to the Abuja music society and Nigeria at large. My heart feels very heavy because it is unimaginable losing such a young, promising great.”

The tragic passing of the "Soprano Queen" has sparked a national debate regarding the availability of emergency anti-venom in urban centers, as snake bites, typically associated with rural areas continue to claim lives in the capital.

For the fans who followed her journey from the choir pews to the national stage, the light of one of Nigeria's most versatile voices has gone out far too soon.