By Fred Chukwuelobe
Reports say Ifunanya Nwangene was attacked by snakes in her apartment in Abuja. The snakes may have entered through sinkholes or plumbing. She was rushed to hospital, resuscitation efforts failed, and she died. May her soul rest in peace.
What troubles me deeply is the diabolical angle now circulating on social media. Some claim she allegedly abused an old woman who then “sent snakes” to kill her. Another version says the ambulance conveying her body to Enugu broke down, and another snake was found by the vehicle door. I’ve watched Snakes on a Plane—that was Hollywood. This, frankly, sounds like Nollywood fiction.
So this “mystery woman” not only dispatched snakes to kill her but also sent another to escort her body home? Yet these same supernatural snakes can’t be deployed against kidnappers and criminal elements terrorising society—only against a harmless young lady? Are we to believe criminals now possess superior anti-snake powers?
This is the kind of wild conjecture that thrives in our space. Before you know it, some pastors will latch onto it to scare the gullible. I even argued with a friend who insisted it’s possible—“powers and principalities,” he said. Maybe so. I don’t possess such powers and I’ve never been afflicted by such principalities. But if it were truly that easy to dispatch snakes to kill those who offend us, the world would be emptier of wicked people by now. We’re told she allegedly insulted someone on social media, and the response was to “send snakes” to kill her? Meanwhile, the Renos of this world prance about daily, spewing venom with their mouths—are they too “powerful” for killer snakes to locate?
Let’s be clear: snakes entering homes through toilets or pipes is rare but possible, and it has happened before. That doesn’t require mysticism. What this story doesn’t need is spiritual seasoning. The real questions are simple and sobering: where exactly was she attacked—her bed, her kitchen? What actually happened before the incident was dressed up in folklore?
Whatever the details, one fact remains: a human being has died. Her life should not be reduced to superstition or sensational tales. An innocent soul is gone, and no amount of supernatural garnish can change that. May she find peace. And those spreading these stories should remember there are people mourning her. Allow them to grieve in peace—and allow her soul to rest in peace.
NB: Fred Chukwuelobe, was a Special Assistant to former Governor of Anambra, Chris Ngige on Media and Publicity.
