Abuja Cobra Ends Rising Nigerian Singer's Dream

Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, an aspiring Nigerian singer who gained fame on The Voice Nigeria, died in Abuja after being bitten by a cobra at her apartment. She was preparing for her first solo concert; two snakes were later found in the home. She sought treatment after the bite, but antivenom access and hospital resources were contentious, with her friends and the hospital offering differing accounts. Nigerian health officials acknowledged systemic challenges and announced a national task force on clinical governance and patient safety. The incident underscores a broader neglected snakebite burden in Africa, where antivenom shortages and cost limit treatment.