Nwangene first captured national attention in 2021 after appearing on The Voice Nigeria, where her vocal range and distinctive style set her apart. She was widely admired for blending jazz, opera, classical music and soul, earning a reputation as one of the most promising young voices of her generation.
Footage circulating on social media in the aftermath of the incident shows a snake handler removing a snake from her residence, as bystanders shout in alarm that it was a cobra. Friends later disclosed that two snakes were eventually found inside the apartment.
According to Hillary Obinna, a close friend and fellow singer, Nwangene had been asleep when the bite occurred. “I was told the snake bite woke her up,” he said. She initially sought help at a nearby clinic, but was referred to a hospital due to the absence of antivenom.
Sam Ezugwu, co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir where Nwangene sang, described her as a “rising star” who was preparing to stage her first solo concert later this year. He revealed that she was also a trained architect, balancing a professional career with her growing musical ambitions.
Ezugwu said he rushed to the hospital after learning she had been admitted. According to him, the hospital reportedly had one of the required antivenoms but not the second. “While they were trying to stabilise her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe,” he recalled.
He added that he left briefly to search for the missing antivenom, but returned to the devastating news that she had died. Members of the Amemuso Choir later gathered at the hospital that evening, he said, “hoping that a miracle would happen.”
In response to public concern, the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, where Nwangene was treated, denied claims that antivenom was unavailable or that its response was inadequate. In a statement issued on Sunday, the hospital said its medical team provided immediate and appropriate care, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, oxygen and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom.
The hospital stated that a rapid assessment showed Nwangene had suffered severe complications from the bite and that her condition deteriorated suddenly before she could be transferred to intensive care. “Our medical staff were unable to revive her,” the statement said, adding, “We stand by the quality of care and dedication our team demonstrates daily.”
Tributes have continued to pour in from friends, colleagues and fans. Obinna described her as “a very wonderful girl… humble, very intelligent and very talented,” adding that her death has left many devastated. “Everybody is shattered. We could not sleep at night,” he said.
Nwangene’s death has also reignited a broader national conversation about healthcare delivery in Nigeria, particularly emergency response and access to life-saving treatment. The tragedy comes amid heightened scrutiny of the health sector following several high-profile allegations of medical negligence, including the recent death of novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 21-month-old son, a case in which the hospital involved has denied wrongdoing.
In response to mounting public outcry, Nigeria’s Minister of Health has acknowledged “systemic challenges” within the healthcare system and announced the establishment of a national task force on clinical governance and patient safety.
While snakebite fatalities are more commonly associated with rural areas, many Nigerians have expressed shock that such a death occurred in an upscale neighbourhood of the federal capital. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies venomous snakebites as a neglected public health issue in many tropical and subtropical regions, including Africa.
According to the WHO, between 435,000 and 580,000 snakebites requiring treatment occur annually in Africa, resulting in an estimated 30,000 deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa alone. Women, children and farmers in rural communities are most affected, where health systems are weakest and access to antivenom is limited.
Experts say shortages of antivenom, high costs and storage challenges—particularly the need for refrigeration in areas with unreliable electricity—remain major obstacles. These barriers often drive victims to seek help from traditional healers, leaving many cases unreported.
As Nigeria mourns the loss of a young talent whose promise was only beginning to unfold, Nwangene’s death has become a painful symbol of wider public health challenges, and a call for urgent improvements in emergency care and access to critical medical resources.