Singer Ifunanya Nwangene, who competed on The Voice Nigeria, has died after being bitten by a snake while she was sleeping. She was just 26.
“With painful heart, we announce the demise of Ifunanya Nwangene Nanyah,” AMEMUSO choir announcer Sam Ezugwu wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday, confirming the devastating news.
Known to fans as NANYAH on YouTube, Nwangene was widely described as a rising star. Members of the AMEMUSO Choir said she was on the cusp of sharing her talent with a much wider audience when tragedy struck.
According to a close friend who spoke with BBC Africa, Nwangene was asleep in her apartment in Abuja when she suddenly woke up after feeling a sharp pain in her leg.
She rushed to a nearby clinic for help, but the facility reportedly did not have antivenom available to treat the snake bite. Nwangene was then transferred to a hospital, where doctors tried to stabilize her condition.
“While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe,” Ezugwu told the outlet.
The hospital allegedly only had one of the two antivenoms required for treatment. Ezugwu said he went out to search for the second dose, but Nwangene was pronounced dead before he could return.
After her death, animal control officials searched her apartment and captured two snakes found inside the home. In a video shared on social media, a voice can be heard shouting, “It’s a cobra,” as the snakes were removed.
Nwangene gained national recognition after appearing on Season 3 of The Voice Nigeria, where she performed Take a Bow during her audition. Her emotional rendition impressed the judges and led to two chairs turning.
She ultimately chose to join the team of Nigerian singer Waje and advanced to the knockout round before being eliminated.
Outside of the competition, Nwangene was preparing for her first solo concert and had teased an upcoming project with fellow Nigerian artist Tbrass.
Following her death, Tbrass paid tribute on Instagram, calling her passing an irreplaceable loss to the Abuja music community and to Nigeria as a whole.
“The pain of saying goodbye to someone whose voice and energy brought joy, inspiration, and even healing to many is heavy,” he wrote. “From her unique voice, to the stories she told through songs, and the way she represented our culture and struggles, Nanya was a true artist who left an irreplaceable mark.”
Some home vermin IS more dangerous than others.
Sad, but happens.