Ifunanya Nwangene, a Nigerian singer who appeared on Season 3 of The Voice Nigeria, has died after suffering a snake bite. She was 26.
According to BBC Africa, Nwangene was bitten while asleep at her home in Abuja on Jan. 31 and later died after seeking medical treatment. A collaborator, Hillary Obinna, told the outlet that the bite woke her from her sleep and that two snakes were later discovered in the residence.
Nwangene initially sought care at a nearby clinic, where antivenom was reportedly unavailable, before being transferred to a hospital for further treatment. Music director Sam C. Ezugwu confirmed her death in a statement shared on Facebook, identifying the hospital as Federal Medical Center and describing the passing as sudden.
“A rising star, Ifunanya was on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world,” a statement from Amemuso Choir, where Nwangene sang as a soprano, read. “Her voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
Born in Enugu and based in Abuja, Nwangene was also an architect. She gained national attention on The Voice Nigeria after turning chairs with her audition performance of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow”, later continuing to share covers and original material online.
Following her death, Nigerian artist Tbrass, who had recently worked with Nwangene, shared a tribute on social media, writing, “An irreplaceable loss to the Abuja music society and Nigeria at large💔.” He added, “The pain of saying goodbye to someone whose voice and energy brought joy, inspiration, and even healing to many is heavy.”
Ezugwu told BBC Africa that Nwangene had been preparing for her first solo concert in 2026. Further details regarding funeral arrangements are expected to be shared through Amemuso Choir’s official channels.
