Tragic Passing of Singer Ifunanya Nwangene

Ifunanya Nwangene, a 26-year-old singer who rose to fame as a contestant on The Voice Nigeria, passed away on Saturday due to a snake bite while she was sleeping.

Sam Ezugwu, an announcer from the Amemso Choir, announced her death with a heavy heart on Facebook, stating, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Ifunanya Nwangene Nanya.”

Nwangene, known as “NANYAH” on YouTube, had been described as a “rising star” with great potential to share her talent with a wider audience, according to her choir.

The unfortunate incident occurred when Nwangene was resting in her apartment in Abuja. She woke up to a sharp pain, discovering that she had been bitten on the leg. Ezugwu detailed that during her emergency transport to a local clinic, the facility lacked the necessary anti-venom, prompting them to rush her to a hospital.

“While they were trying to stabilize her, she couldn’t speak but made hand gestures, and struggled to breathe,” Ezugwu recounted. At the hospital, only one of the two required anti-venom medications was available, leading Ezugwu to go out in search of the other. Tragically, Nwangene was pronounced dead before he could return.

Following the incident, animal control officers were sent to her apartment, where they found and captured two snakes. A social media video captured a moment when someone was heard shouting “cobra” as one of the snakes was removed from her home.

Nwangene’s performance during the audition for season 3 of The Voice Nigeria, where she sang Rihanna’s “Take A Bow,” had garnered immense praise, leading to two judges turning their chairs in approval. She chose to join Nigerian singer Waje’s team and made it all the way to the finals before being eliminated.

The young artist was on the verge of hosting her first solo concert and had been teasing a collaboration with fellow Nigerian musician Tobras.

Tributes poured in from fellow musicians following her passing. One trumpet player expressed sorrow, describing it as “an irreplaceable loss for the Abuja Music Society and Nigeria.” The tribute highlighted how deeply music connects with the Nigerian spirit, making her untimely loss even more devastating. “From her unique voice to the stories she told through her songs, Nanya was truly an artist who left an outstanding legacy,” he said.