After former The Voice Nigeria contestant Ifunanya Nwangene‘s death, her brother accused multiple hospitals of delaying medical aid, which he thought ultimately resulted in her death at 26 from a snake bite.
In reshared screenshots from Nwangene’s Instagram Story, her brother alleged that the singer moved between hospitals in search of medical treatment before her death. He recalled Nwangene calling him after waking up to a painful snake bite.
Nwangene tied her hand to slow the spread of venom and went alone to Divine Health Hospital in Lugbe, Abuja. She was told there was no antivenom in the facility, which caused her to go to the Federal Medical Centre instead.
Nwangene’s brother remained on the phone with her as she tried to find medical help. At the second hospital, she was taken into the emergency room where she was allegedly asked questions instead of immediately receiving care for her wound.
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According to Nwangene’s brother, she was placed on a drip but started to feel dizzy and her speech became unclear. Nwangene’s uncle arrived at the hospital at that point but she ultimately passed away from the snake bite.
Nwangene’s brother blamed the medical system for not allowing her to get the proper care she needed in time. News of Nwangene’s death broke on Sunday, February 1, one day after she failed to obtain medical treatment.
“Amemuso Choir [regrets] to announce the sudden demise of our beloved soprano,” music director Sam C. Ezugqu with the Amemuse Choir said in a statement shared via Facebook, confirming the singer’s death. “A rising star, Ifunanya was on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world. Her voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
BBC Africa spoke with Nwangene’s fellow choir members about the tragic incident, with Hillary Obinna saying Nwangene was asleep when “the snake bite woke her up.” Obinna also told the outlet that two snakes were later discovered in Nwangene’s home.
Obinna went on to question the care that Nwangene received leading up to her death.
“While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe,” he told the outlet. The hospital, however, denied claims about the lack of antivenom, claiming that they were “unfounded and do not reflect the reality of the situation.”
Federal Medical Centre released a statement about Nwangene’s death — and the backlash from her loved ones, saying, “Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom.”
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Before her death, Nwangene, who was also an architect, auditioned for season 3 of The Voice Nigeria. Her version of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow” scored her two chair turns. She continued to release covers and original songs.
Nwangene previously teased a “new project” with fellow Nigerian musician Tbrass, who revealed that Nwangene was in his studio days prior to help with music for his next album.
“An irreplaceable loss to the Abuja music society and Nigeria at large💔,” he wrote via Instagram. “My hand and heart feels very heavy writing this, because it is unimaginable [losing] such a young promising great, talented music artist who touched so many lives, it is very heartbreaking — especially in Nigeria where music runs deep in our souls and connects us all.”
He continued: “The pain of saying goodbye to someone whose voice and energy brought joy, inspiration, and even healing to many is heavy. 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.”
