An Abuja-based rising music talent, Ifunanya Nwangene, has died after being bitten by a snake at her residence in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), an incident that has reignited public debate over emergency medical preparedness and access to life-saving treatment in Nigerian hospitals.
Nwangene, popularly known as Nanyah, was a soprano with the Amemuso Choir and a former contestant on The Voice Nigeria. She was pronounced dead on 31 January 2026 at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, after efforts to save her life were unsuccessful.
In a statement posted on social media by the choir, signed by its Music Director, Sam Ezugwu, the group announced her sudden passing. “We regret to announce the sudden demise of our beloved soprano, Ifunanya Nwangene, who passed away yesterday, 31st January 2026, at the Federal Medical Centre due to a snake bite,” the statement read. “A rising star, Ifunanya was on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world. Her voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
According to Mr Ezugwu, Nwangene was bitten by a snake in her sleep at her Abuja residence and initially sought urgent care at a private hospital in Lugbe. That facility reportedly did not have appropriate antivenom treatment, prompting her to go to FMC Abuja for advanced care.
Despite being attended to at FMC, efforts to stabilise her condition were fruitless. The choir director said that delays in obtaining a second dose of antivenom and logistical challenges accompanied her final hours, though the hospital management later offered a contrasting account.
In an official press statement, FMC Abuja rejected claims that the absence of antivenom was responsible for Nwangene’s death. The hospital affirmed that she was attended to promptly upon arrival, receiving emergency care, including resuscitation, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen and polyvalent anti-snake venom.
The statement added that she had already developed severe neurotoxic complications by the time she reached the facility, and efforts to transfer her to an intensive care unit were under way when her condition deteriorated suddenly.
News of Nwangene’s death has triggered widespread reaction across social media and among health advocates, with many Nigerians decrying what they describe as systemic gaps in emergency healthcare provision, particularly concerning the availability of antivenom in Nigerian hospitals.
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