The month of February was supposed to be a beginning, a new chapter of music, dreams, and life. Instead, we are starting it with a heavy heart and a burning sense of rage. News broke today that the incredibly talented Nigerian singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, known to the world as Nanyah, has passed away at the young age of 25. However, what makes this tragedy unbearable isn’t just the loss of her life; it is the absolute, systemic failure that led to it.
Nanyah didn’t die because her time had come. She died because she lived in a country where, even in the Federal Capital Territory, a snakebite is a death sentence. The government’s incompetence led to Nanyah’s death, as our hospitals, supposed to be sanctuaries of life, were too ill-equipped to provide even a single vial of anti-venom.
Reports indicate that Nanyah fought for her life. After two cobras bit her in her Abuja residence, she didn’t give up.. She rushed herself to one hospital, then another. Two different medical facilities. Two opportunities for the Nigerian healthcare system to do its fucking job.
And yet, at every turn, she was met with the same answer: “We don’t have anti-venom.”
How is it possible that in big 2026, in the capital city of the “Giant of Africa,” a 25-year-old woman can visit multiple hospitals and find nothing to neutralize a snakebite? This isn’t just a “lack of resources,” it is criminal negligence. It is a sign of a healthcare system that has completely collapsed, leaving its citizens to die from treatable emergencies.
We pay for this incompetence with the lives of our brightest stars…remember it was almost Anthony Joshua just last year December that survived the ghastly motor accident where he made it to the hospital in a police van. Many of other Nigerians never make it at all in cases of emergencies like this, because they are met with delays, and outdated equipment – turning everyday life into a lethal gamble.
A Voice Like No Other
I remember the first time I saw Nanyah perform on my fyp. One of these blogs reposted her content; it was her cover of the UEFA Champions League anthem.
Before Nanyah, for most football lovers, that anthem was just a powerful melody with vague, indecipherable lyrics that we hummed and vibed along to. But when Nanyah sang it with her incredible, classically-trained voice, she breathed new life into it. She gave the words meaning. She ignited a different kind of passion in the hearts of football fans who finally understood the majesty of the song through her.
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She had a gift for taking the familiar and making it extraordinary. Nanyah was a blend of Jazz, Soul, and Classical grace, a rare gem in an industry that often favors noise over substance.
Imagine the impact she would have had. At just 25, she was already commanding attention with her vocal prowess. She had decades of music, healing, and inspiration ahead of her. It is a national embarrassment that we lost such potential because of a missing vial of medicine.
Nanyah’s death is a reminder that in Nigeria, your talent, your beauty, and your drive mean nothing if the basic infrastructure of life is broken. We are tired of saying “RIP.” Furthermore, we are tired of mourning young people who should still be alive.
For this reason, we cannot let Nanyah’s death be just another headline. We must demand better.
- Demand Accountability: We need to ask the Ministry of Health why essential life-saving drugs like anti-venom are unavailable in major hospitals.
- Support Healthcare Reform: We must continue to speak out against the decay of our public institutions.
- Keep Her Memory Alive: Don’t let her voice fade away. Share her music, listen to her covers, and let the world know what we lost.
Rest in peace, Nanyah. You deserved a country that could protect you. You deserved to sing for us for a long, long time. We at Music Untamed send our condolences to her family and fans worldwide.
Follow and Support Nanyah’s Legacy:
The Heartbreaking and Avoidable Death of Ifunanya ‘Nanyah’
