A former contestant for ‘The Voice Nigeria’ has reportedly passed away at just 26 years old.
Ifunanya Nwangene was reportedly bitten by a snake while sleeping at her home in Abuja, Nigeria, according to a statement from Sam Ezugwu, co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir, where she was a member.
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“Amemuso Choir [regrets] to announce the sudden demise of our beloved soprano who passed away yesterday 31st January 2026 at the Federal Medical Center 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,” the statement read.
Her soulful voice captivated judges and viewers alike in her blind audition of the show’s third season. She belted out Rihanna’s ‘Take A Bow’ as if she wrote it herself, resulting in two judges turning their chairs around.
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When she wasn’t knocking the socks off of The Voice audiences, her Instagram account indicated that she also performed at events such as weddings and funerals. She also worked as an architect, according to Fox News.
“During an interview with the BBC published Sunday, Ezugwu said that Nwangene was planning to perform her first solo concert later this year,” the outlet reported. “In videos shared on social media, handlers could be seen removing two snakes from Nwangene’s home and a bystander was heard identifying one as a cobra.”
“Nwangene’s friend Hilary Obinna, who also performed with her, explained that he had been told the singer was sleeping when ‘the snake bite woke her up’ and two snakes were later discovered in her home.”
According to Obinna’s account, Nwangene headed to a clinic to be treated, but that facility lacked antivenom, prompting the singer to head to a nearby hospital.
“While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak, but she could make hand gestures,” Ezugu told the BBC. “She was struggling to breathe.”
The hospital only had one of the necessary antivenoms, but unfortunately lacked the other. Ezugu himself headed out in attempts to find the missing antivenom, but was informed that Nwangene had already succumbed.
“In a statement to the BBC, the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi denied that antivenom had been unavailable and disputed claims that its response fell short, saying they were ‘unfounded and do not reflect the reality of the situation,'” Fox News reported.
“Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom,” read a statement from the hospital. They further claim that a “thorough but swift” assessment indicated that the singer had severe complications from the bite.
“We stand by the quality of care and dedication our team demonstrates daily.”
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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