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Ifunanya Nwangene, an Abuja-based singer popularly known as Nanyah, has passed away after suffering a snake bite at her residence on Saturday.
Nwangene was said to have rushed herself to two different hospitals for urgent medical attention, but was reportedly left untreated due to the unavailability of anti-venom at both facilities.
Confirming her death in a post on social media, Amemuso Choir which the deceased was a member of, said Nwangene would be “deeply missed”.
2 February 2025
“Amemuso Choir regrets to announce the sudden demise of our beloved soprano Ifunanya Nwangene who passed away yesterday, 31st January 2026 at Federal Medical Centre due to a snake bite,” the statement reads.
“A rising star, Ifunanya was at the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world. Her voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
Speaking with TheCable, Sam Ezugwu, Amemuso’s music director, recounted the final hours of Nwangene and described the race against time that proved unsuccessful.
Ezugwu said he first became aware of the situation after seeing a post on Ifunanya’s social media page indicating that she needed help at the FMC.
“It was yesterday when I saw a post on her page asking if anyone is near FMC. So I called the person with her to ask what happened and they told me Ifunanya was bitten by a snake,” he said.
The choir director said he immediately rushed to the hospital, where he met Ifunanya in severe distress.
He added that medical personnel informed him that two anti-venoms were required, but only one was available at the hospital and had already been administered to her.
“So I had to go 10 minutes away to Skylark Pharmacy near National Hospital to get the second one,” he said.
“As I was driving back to the hospital with the anti-venom, her friend who was with her called me and said Ifunanya had died. She died at 12:20 pm.”
Ezugwu said hospital officials told him that medical attention was provided as soon as Ifunanya arrived at FMC.
He, however, explained that there had been delays earlier in her search for treatment.
“From what I know, after she was bitten by the snake, Ifunanya went to a hospital in Lugbe and they said they don’t have anti-venom. So she took a Bolt to FMC,” he said.
”The distance is about 30 minutes. She was still active when she got to FMC and narrated what happened to them. She even described the type of snake to them.”
According to Ezugwu, a doctor later told him that by the time Ifunanya arrived at FMC, the venom had already spread.
“What pains me the most is why a hospital like FMC will not have the required treatment. It is really so sad,” he said.
Ezugwu also disclosed that Ifunanya’s family had requested that her body be taken home to Enugu state.
Following news of her death, videos began circulating online showing a man holding a long black snake.
The snake was said to have been captured from the late singer’s apartment after the incident.
Her death has elicited reactions from Nigerians with many decrying Nigeria’s poor emergency response system and the lack of life-saving drugs such as anti-venom in hospitals.
