There has been an outpouring of grief in Nigeria following the death of an aspiring singer who died on Saturday after being bitten by a snake in the capital, Abuja.
Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, rose to prominence after appearing on The Voice Nigeria, the local version of the international TV singing competition, in 2021. She was known for her versatility, blending jazz, opera, classical music and soul.
Videos shared on social media show a snake handler removing a snake from her apartment, as people nearby can be heard screaming: "It is a cobra!"
A close friend, Sam Ezugwu, the co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir where she sang, told the BBC that Nwangene was a "rising star".
He said she had been planning to stage her first solo concert later this year. She was also a trained architect.
